


Armless Embrace

by Thrones_of_War



Series: Entwined File [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Drama, F/F, F/M, Female Chara, Hurt/Comfort, Male Frisk, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-06-04 17:02:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 72,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6666997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thrones_of_War/pseuds/Thrones_of_War
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of shorts and one-shots taking place two years after the events of Souls Entwined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ambassador Chara

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome all, and I hope you enjoy what I've put here! I'm not much one for notes, but I would like to say that I will be uploading this story daily, until I catch up with my work, at which point I will upload twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. I'll put another note of that on the actual day, but until then, thanks for checking out my work!

_Remind me why we're here again?_ Frisk grumbled to his sister.

**Where, at the very important Human-Monster relations meeting that helps keep the peace, or cowering over here by the food table meekly hoping no-one else comes up to ask questions?**

Chara's tone was sarcastic and laced with irritation. Frisk would have stuck out his tongue at her, but he was supposed to keep up appearances here. Instead, he raised a hand to scratch at his neck, wishing he was allowed to wear Papyrus's scarf to these things. It would certainly help keep the scratchy material of the tuxedo he was supposed to wear from irritating his skin. As far as he was concerned, the food at these events were their only redeeming quality, and they still didn't compare to the food his mother made every day.

**Ever since we hit high school, it's hard enough to get you to shut up, but as soon as I need you to talk, you clam up tighter than an old woman's purse. What's wrong with you?**

_These events are so **boring**_. The fifteen year old boy complained. _And everyone I talk to here gives me a headache._

 **We've talked about this before.** Chara informed him. **You're the Human poster boy, remember? The one Human who has magic.**

_I don't have magic. **You** have magic._

**So? I'm not Human either, and neither of those facts are going to keep people from believing what they want to hear. Besides, telling these fools that the voice in your head is the one that possesses the power they see, isn't exactly going to win us any friends, is it?**

_Since when do you care about being friends with Humans?_ Frisk questioned, averting his gaze away from a couple well-dressed men walking past.

 **Now that you mention it, it might be fun to start a war at one of these events…** Chara mused, a grin widening on Frisk's mental image of the girl.

 _Never mind, forget I said anything._ Frisk said hurriedly. His sister huffed, whether in amusement or annoyance, the teen wasn't sure.

He took a moment to survey the room around him. It was a large one, filled with well dressed men and women, the sound of their conversations overlapping into a dull murmur that permeated the room. Asgore and Toriel were both here, he could make out their horns sticking above the crowd, but they were too far away for him to draw any comfort from their presence.

**Alright, I'm going to go over this once more. And for the love of god, pay attention this time!**

_Fine… fine…_ Frisk grumbled, looking away from the brightly lit chandeliers high above them and looking about the room once more. _I'm listening…_

His sister's image appeared beside him, and she pointed a finger across the room.

**See the tall, blonde guy over there? That's Roderick Elsvagon. You remember him, right?**

Frisk frowned in concentration.

_Wasn't he the guy who said that I was suffering from Stolkholm syndrome and then basically tried to kidnap us?_

**Yeah, that idiot. He's a very important member of Congress, and has a pretty substantial backing. He also hates Monsters and has made that very clear to everyone around him. Not certain if it's just a political move, since his backing has doubled since that decision, or if he actually doesn't like them, but it doesn't matter. He's gonna stick to his guns regardless.**

_Sounds like a real charmer,_ Frisk muttered.

**He's an idiot on top of that. He'll go against anything that Monsters want, or anything involving them, just because they're Monsters. Typical.**

Chara's image turned and she pointed to a small group, two women and one man who were standing and talking not to far from where they were.

_The guy over there, he's Liam Tekkian._

_Looks more like Ebeneezer Scrooge to me._

Chara snorted.

**Not too far off, actually. He, at least, is straightforward enough in his motivations. All he cares about is money.**

_So he's not on our side then?_

**He's on his own side. But for now, he's been supporting us, and he'll keep doing so as long as he sees profit in it.**

_Can't he just support us cause we're nice?_ Frisk groaned, rubbing his head.

**What, you're expecting a reasonable, compassionate Human being? the girl asked wryly. Shooting a little high, don't you think, champ?**

_I'm those things…_

**Careful you don't wear your arm out patting yourself on the back.** Chara turned her attention again and pointed.

**That's the last of the really important people… at this meeting, anyway. Ollie Oxford.**

Frisk had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

_Seriously?_

**Yeah, what's so funny?**

The boy waved her off.

_I'll tell you later._

**Whatever.** The girl's eyes narrowed for a moment before she continued. **Anyway, he's the co-founder of the G.R.E.E.N corporation, and he's one of he's one of the few people who's actually completely on our side.**

_Well, that's good right?_

**Problem is, he's too cautious. He's worried about losing what support he does have, and he spends far too much time trying to compromise. Doesn't work so well when most of our opponents don't seem to have grasped that particular concept.**

_Okay… I think I got it... But I still don't get why I have to be involved in this, you're good at this stuff, why can't you just handle it?_

Chara's reply was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Toriel, the Humans around her parting to let her approach. She was wearing a simple blue dress that reached down long enough to cover her feet from sight.

"Frisk?" She called, homing in on her son. "I believe that we are nearly finished here, unless there is anything else Chara needs?"

Frisk shook his head, his eyes focusing on the simple gold wedding band his mother wore. Despite the fact that it had been well over a year now since she had remarried Asgore, he still had trouble suppressing a grin whenever he saw it.

"No, I think she got everything… we were talking so much, if it weren't for the punch my throat would be all scratchy now."

 **You could have asked me first!** Chara grumbled.

_**Do** you need anything?_

**No…**

"That's good to hear." Toriel said, smiling. "We should be home in plenty of time for you to finish your homework."

Frisk's smile faded at the idea.

"Aw come on Mom… we've been here for hours, I just want to sleep when we get back."

Toriel tut-tutted him, waggling a finger.

"Now Frisk… If your grades hadn't been slipping so much during the school year, then you would not have to do catch-up work over the summer. It's not your sister's job to make sure you do well in school."

 **See, Frisk?** Chara stated smugly.

"Your mother is right." Asgore's voice came from behind and the boy turned to see his father walking towards him, wearing his old kingly attire, since the attempts to give him more modern clothes that were suitable for this kind of occasion had been… less than successful.

"But you've already done most of your catch-up work, I'm sure you'll have it finished in no time, and then you'll be able to enjoy the rest of the summer freely."

The boy grumbled half-heartedly, but quickly fell silent as his adoptive mother tousled a hand in his ambiguously long hair affectionately.

"Come, child, let's go home." She said, grasping Frisk's hand and leading him towards the exit, Asgore following quickly afterwards. "We have a long drive ahead of us, and I could use a rest when we get back."

"You're doing this on purpose aren't you." The boy complained, though he was smiling as he did so.

"Now, now my boy." Asgore soothed. "Don't worry, I shall make some tea for you when we get home."

"Can it be Golden Flower tea?"

"As you wish."


	2. We're Pregnant

Frisk gave a contented sigh, leaning back in his chair with a small box of popcorn in his hand. The atmosphere was relaxed, as it always was in The Great Papyrus. The skeleton’s bar was one of the most peaceful establishments in the city, as well as the cleanest. Especially since Papyrus had begun hiring Woshuas to help him clean the place.

“I’m surprised Alphys and Undyne aren’t here yet,” Asgore rumbled from his place next to Frisk, dressed comfortably in a pink sweater and slacks. He looked over to his wife. “Do you think they’re alright?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, Asgore,” Sans spoke up from the other side of the table. “Undyne probably just broke her keys trying to start the car again. She should really look at getting some stronger ones, the normal keys aren’t very… E- _fish_ -ent for her.”

There was a chorus of chortles from around the table, and Chara’s voice groaned in Frisk’s head. 

**You’re all so terrible…**

“No _trout_ you are correct.” Toriel quipped, earning another chuckle. 

“Hold up!” Someone cried from across the room, and the table turned to see Papyrus striding around the bar to plant himself in front of the table, his hands on his hipbones as he glared at them. 

“Something fishy’s going on here, why do I get the feeling you’re telling… why is everyone laughing?” 

“Aw, man, Paps,” Sans gasped, hunched over and trying to catch his breath between guffaws as the occupants of the table howled in laughter. “That was brutal!” 

The skeleton’s skull morphed into a confused expression. 

“We were… telling…” Frisk struggled to say in between gasps for breath as he clutched at his sides. “Fish puns,” he finally managed. 

The confused expression deepened for a moment, then it was replaced with a horrified look, much to the further amusement of his friends. 

“Oh gods…” He muttered, putting his face in his hands and slumping into a chair that Sans barely managed to pull out for him. “Sans… what have you done to me?” 

The laughter gradually subsided and the smaller skeleton patted his brother on the back. 

“I’m very proud of you, Paps,” He stated. “You’ve taken your first step into the art of the pun master. One day you’ll be just like me.” 

“This is how the world ends, isn’t it?” The skeleton groaned. “I feel like I need to wash out my mouth with soap now.” 

There was a loud clattering sound, and the tables occupants turned, except for Papyrus who still had his head in his hands. Standing in the doorway, with the old-Western style saloon doors closing behind them, were Undyne and Alphys, the taller Monster holding the small reptile in her arms. 

The fish-warrior had a massive grin on her face and she sprinted towards the table somehow managing not to knock anyone or anything else over in her charge. 

“Sup, nerds!” She hollered, placing Alphys down gently into a chair and taking a seat beside her wife. 

“S-sorry we’re late…” Alphys mumbled, though she was smiling too. 

“Hey, it’s your loss.” Frisk grinned, taking a handful of popcorn and inspecting it for a moment. “You missed Papyrus telling a-” 

“Nothing!” The skeleton interrupted, his head raised and his arms flailing about in denial. “I said nothing! Not a single accidental, horrible pun has ever escaped my boney tones! It certainly did not happen just a few moments before you arrived!” 

“Huh?” Undyne asked in confusion, staring around the table at the grinning occupants. 

“Well!” The tall skeleton proclaimed, sweat beading on his skull as he stood up to his full height. “I should get back to work! Call me if you need any more drinks!” And with that, he tore off, sprinting back to the safety of his bar. 

Undyne scratched the base of her ponytail with a clawed hand. 

“What was that all about?” 

“Our skeletal friend may have accidentally entered into our pun war,” Asgore explained. “He does seem to be taking it well, considering.” 

“Hah! No wonder he left so fast!” Undyne crowed. “I bet the look on his face was priceless!” 

Frisk opened his mouth to speak, but was distracted by the gleaming metal armband that encircled the fish-woman’s left arm, just below the elbow. A thick tube ran from it, going down her arm and sinking into her flesh just above the wrist. 

“Hey, is that your new Determination recycler?” The boy asked. Undyne grinned in response. 

“Hell, yeah! Nice, isn’t it? Alphys finally finished the last upgrades, so it should be good to go from now on!” 

“Y-yeah.” Alphys put in. “It should be almost invulnerable to both physical and magical damage, and it has six separate backup routers for in case anything goes wrong. And if something does happen, w-we should have a decent window of warning before anything actually shuts down.” 

“Sounds like you thought of everything,” Toriel smiled. 

**Of course she did.** Chara muttered. **If that thing stops working… Undyne’s as good as dead.**

_Well, aren't you just a little ray of sunshine._ Frisk replied sarcastically. 

Not knowing she was being talked about in the relative privacy of Frisk’s mind, the fish warrior raised her arm to show off the recycler, her wedding ring gleaming dully in the light. 

“And this thing is way less clunky than the old one, too! I can finally wear long sleeves again!” 

“I suppose you’ll be wearing your leather jackets more often, then?” Asgore questioned. 

“You know it!” 

“So, why’d you call us here in the first place?” Sans asked. “Not that I ever mind harassing Paps, but you guys sounded pretty excited when you called me here.” 

Frisk nodded eagerly, leaning forward, not noticing that he was spilling some of his snack on the ground. 

__“Yeah! What gives, guys?”_ _

The two women looked at each other, then Undyne grinned, pounding the table in excitement. 

“We’re pregnant!” 

“T-technically, I’m pregnant.” Alphys corrected, nervously fiddling with her wedding ring, though a joyous smile spread across her face. 

“The point is, we’re having a baby!” Undyne yelled, not caring as several of the other patrons turned to look at the group. 

“That’s wonderful!” Toriel exclaimed, clapping her hands together in delight. “I’m so happy for you two!” 

“How far along are you?” Asgore asked, his grin almost rivaling Undyne’s own. 

“Two months, about.” The reptile murmured. “We only found out today… I was feeling some fluctuations in my magic system… so I checked and...there was a second magical signature.” Her voice was filled with warmth and awe, as well as trace amounts of disbelief. 

“That’s amazing!” Frisk cheered. “Good thing I helped you guys get together back in the Underground, huh?” 

“You know it! C’mere, punk!” Undyne reached across the thankfully bare table, and grabbed at the boy before he could protest, pulling him into her lap and giving him an affectionate noogie. Having not anticipated this move, Frisk’s grip on his popcorn was not as strong as it needed to be, sending the kernels everywhere. 

“Hey, I was eating that!” Frisk laughed, struggling in vain to get out of the warrior’s grasp. “I’m not a little kid anymore, Undyne, you can’t just pull me over the table!” 

“Hah! Compared to us, you might as well be!” The warrior laughed, not releasing her grip on her victim. 

“Aw, man, I feel sorry for your kid now.” The boy joked. “Bet they're gonna have to endure a lot of this kind of thing…” 

“He’ll have a lot of Undyne in the mix.” Alphys said fondly, adjusting her lab coat. “I-I think he’ll be able to handle it.” 

“He?” Frisk questioned, momentarily halting his struggle. “You know that already?” 

“Pregnancy works differently for Monsters,” Toriel explained. “Since we are mostly made of magic, and can detect the magical signatures of other Monsters, it is not difficult to learn many things about our children, even early on in the pregnancy.” 

“Huh,” Frisk muttered. “How did I not know that?” 

**Because you fell asleep in the sex ed class,** Chara informed him. **They do things on Monsters too, now.**

_Aw, man, I didn’t know that! I thought it was just gonna be a bunch of stuff I already knew! What did they talk about?_

**Not my job to get your work done for you, remember?** The girl said smugly, quoting Toriel’s words from a few weeks before. 

“Anyway!” Undyne enthused, finally relinquishing her grasp on Frisk, who quickly scuttled back to his seat. “We called you here to celebrate, and that’s what we’re gonna do! Papyrus!” The last word was a yell, quickly summoning the tall skeleton over. “We’re gonna need some drinks, buddy! On me!” 

“Of course! Drinks are our specialty at The Great Papyrus!” 

“Uhh… You only serve drinks, Pap,” Sans noted. 

“That doesn’t make me wrong!” 

**You know, I think it’s a good thing that Alphys is the one pregnant, and not Undyne,** Chara mused while the adults began asking for drinks. 

_Why’s that?_

**Can you imagine Undyne being hormonally imbalanced due to pregnancy?**

Frisk’s eyes widened in shock. 

_Oh._ Then his brow furrowed. _Hey wait a sec, does that even affect Monsters the same? Do they even have enough of a physical form for that to be a problem?_

**You’d know if you stayed awake in class,** Chara replied in a sing-song voice, much to her brother’s annoyance. 

_Why are you so mean to me?_ Frisk groaned. 

**Don’t act like you don’t deserve it. You remember the candy shop.**

_Are you **still** hung up about that?_

**We _could_ have had chocolate. Instead, we had that nauseatingly sweet… whatever it was. I felt sick for hours afterwards.**

_Hey, that stuff was good!_ Frisk protested. 

“Frisk?” Toriel asked, snapping the boy out of his reverie. He blinked a couple times in response. 

“Sorry, Mom,” He mumbled. “Just uh… talking with Chara.” 

“Heh. And we were just talking about her.” Sans grinned. 

“I asked what Chara thought about all this.” Toriel explained. 

_Well, sis? You wanna take over for this one?_

Frisk closed brown eyes. Chara opened red ones. 

“I think we’re all gonna have to tread very carefully.” She said, leaning forward. “Let it sink in for a minute… we’re going to have a miniature Undyne running around in a few months. I suggest you all enjoy the peace and quiet while you can.” 

The Monsters at the table looked at each other. 

“Oh dear…” Toriel said, only half-joking. “I hadn’t thought of that…” 


	3. Formless (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am officially Undertale trash. Please send help.

Frisk sat at a green lunch table outside the high school, overlooking the soccer field where several other teens were practicing. A chill October breeze swept by, and he gave a slight shiver, grateful for the red scarf Papyrus had given him two years ago.

He brushed his messy bangs out of his eyes and took a big bite of his snail pie, chewing slowly to savour the taste.

How could something so gross be cooked into something so good? Frisk was willing to bet it had to do with the amount of magic used in cooking Monster food. He couldn't imagine actually eating one of those gross slimeballs without his mother's prior preparation.

"Yo! Frisk!"

Frisk looked up to see Kid running up to him, wagging his head back and forth in his version of a wave. Frisk waved back, and finished off his slice just in time to see Kid trip on a rock and wobble dangerously before using his stiff tail to help regain his balance.

"Nice catch!" Frisk called to him, genuinely impressed. The armless Monster's balance had greatly improved over the years, and he didn't spend nearly as much time eating dirt as he once had.

Kid smiled widely, then ran over to sit himself down at the table across from Frisk, carefully maneuvering his legs over the bench to avoid falling. He was wearing a dark green shirt today, and there were quite a few crumbs on it, probably from whatever he'd eaten that day. It wasn't easy eating without any arms, that was for sure.

"How's it going, Frisk?" Kid asked.

"Good for now, at least. I've got math class after this, though…"

 **Oh, quit your whining.** Chara said. **Math's not that bad.**

 _Maybe not for you, brainiac._ But some of us are good at things that aren't utterly boring and useless.

Kid gave a little shake of his head.

"Man, you really don't get on in that class, do you?"

"What can I say? I'm an incredibly handsome, charismatic young stud. I've gotta have some flaws, or else I just wouldn't be approachable."

 **Oh my god.** Frisk grinned triumphantly while Chara buried her head in her hands and Kid let out a snort of laughter. **Please just kill me now.**

Before Frisk could reply, Kid spoke up again.

"Umm, hey, I was wondering… Could I talk to Chara?"

The girl's image raised its head from its hands, a quizzical expression on her face. Frisk had to admit he was curious as to why the boy would specifically request that.

_Well, Chara? You want to take us for a spin?_

**I guess…** Her reply was dubious at best, but Frisk closed his eyes and Chara rose up to take control, pushing him into the background of her mind.

As Chara's crimson eyes opened, Kid's smile widened.

"Yo! It's so cool how you do that, haha!"

Chara grinned despite herself.

"Well, you asked for me, and here I am. What'd you want to talk about?"

"Oh! Right! I wanted to know if you wanted to come over and hang out sometime."

Chara's heart started beating slightly faster. Frisk took note of it and his image frowned.

_Chara? Are you feeling alright?_

The girl ignored him and answered Kid casually.

"Yeah, I don't mind that. You do know I'm gonna have to drag this guy along for the ride though, right?"

Kid nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah! Frisk's pretty cool too!"

"Almost as cool as he thinks he is." Chara replied wryly.

_Hey!_

Kid gave a short laugh, then asked,

"So, when would be a good time?"

Chara thought it over for a moment before replying.

"I don't know for sure yet; I'll have to ask Mom. How about this? When I get home, I'll talk to Mom about it and then I'll call you. How's that sound?"

"Yo! That's great! It's gonna be really cool, just wait and see!"

Chara smiled.

"That sounds great. But, you could have just asked Frisk that. Why'd you want to talk to me?"

"Well, I get to see Frisk almost every day. But… since he came back, I hardly get to see you anymore." He shrugged. "I kinda miss you."

Chara's heart skipped a beat and her eyes widened. Before she could say anything though, she was startled by the bell ringing. Kid leapt off the bench.

"Aw, man! I forgot I was supposed to talk to my science teacher! I'll talk to you later, Chara!"

And with that, he ran off. Chara stared after him for a moment, took a deep breath to calm herself, then closed her eyes and released her control.

Frisk blinked a couple of times, then grabbed his backpack and began walking slowly back towards the school building.

 _Are you alright, Chara?_ He asked concernedly. _You were acting kinda weird back there. And why are we all sweaty now?_

 **I'm fine.** She mumbled.

Frisk frowned. He knew that Chara probably wouldn't tell him if she wasn't feeling well, that was just how she worked. But he'd never seen her react like that to anyone before. It was almost as if…

He stopped short as realization dawned. Seconds later, a big grin split his face.

_Oh my god! You have a crush on Kid!_

Chara flinched at his exclamation, then pulled herself upright and glared at him.

**S-so what if I do? How's that any of your business?**

Frisk began walking again, though the grin did not go away. Oh, he was going to have so much fun with this.

_That's so adorable! Look at you, my little sister all grown up!_

**Little? I've been around for centuries longer than you have, _brother._**

_Chara and Kid, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-_

**You do realize that if I _were_ to kiss him, it would be using _your_ lips, right?**

Frisk paused, then scrunched up his nose at the idea.

_Ew._

**Hah! That shut you up quick, didn't it?** Chara said smugly. But Frisk wasn't done yet.

 _I'm totally gonna tell Kid._ He resumed his pace, rewarded by the sound of Chara squealing with rage.

**Don't you dare!**

_So, hey Kid, turns out my sister wants you…_

**Frisk, if you so much as mention this to Kid, next time I spar with Undyne, I'm going to tell her her attacks are too slow.**

Frisk stopped again.

_You wouldn't._

**I'll tell her that I've been taking it easy on her all this time.**

_Stop._

**I'll tell her that a _Moldsmal_ would be more of a challenge than her.**

_Alright! Alright! I give!_ Frisk resumed his pace, speeding up a little as he realized he'd been taking a lot longer than he'd meant to to get to class. _Jeez, are you **trying** to get us killed?_

 **So you won't say anything to Kid?** Chara prompted.

 _I won't say anything to Kid._ Frisk promised reluctantly. _So… if my hands are tied, what are YOU gonna do about it?_

 **Not really much I _can_ do, is there?** Chara muttered bitterly. **It's just a stupid crush anyway, it'll go away soon enough.**

 

**No, carry the eight, carry- Screw it, let me do this!**

Frisk had to suppress a grin as he gratefully slipped back down and let Chara take control. It really wasn't hard to get his sister frustrated enough to take over his math work, which he was grateful for. Not only did he not want to worry about those stupid equations, he also wanted the opportunity to grill his sister about her crush some more.

As Chara began scribbling furiously on her notebook, Frisk asked casually,

_So… what got you interested in Kid in the first place?_

**Are you still going on about that?** Chara retorted, not slowing in her task.

 _Was it his eyes?_ Frisk pressed dramatically. _Can you get lost in them? Is it his endearing optimism? Do you want his bod?_

**We are so not having this conversation.**

_C'mon Chara, you can't just drop that you like one of my best friends and then give me nothing else!_

**You sound like a thirteen year old girl.** Chara informed him derisively.

_Well, I have had a girl in my head for the past three years. You pick up a few things._

**Riiight. Because I _totally_ talk like that. Now shut up, I'm trying to concentrate.**

_Don't be so modest, you know you can get through these things easy. You've already finished half the assignment!_

**Just… shut up.** Chara was starting to sound more resigned than angry, and Frisk began to wonder if he hadn't pressed the issue too far. Still, he couldn't help himself from trying one more time.

_Just one thing? And then I'll leave you alone about it, I swear._

Chara gave an exasperated sigh.

**Fine. But just the one. Anything more, and I'll make sure you regret it.**

_Ominous._ But Frisk plowed on before there was a chance Chara might take his teasing too seriously. _Same as before. What made you start liking Kid in the first place? I didn't think you were interested in anyone!_

Chara paused in her scribbling before answering.

 **He's the bravest Monster.** She stated quietly. **He stood up to Undyne for you. He stood up to me in the last timeline. And when you were gone, and everyone else was afraid of me, he wasn't. He came and made friends with me, while everyone else called me "Demon Child".** She shrugged.

**That's what made him stand apart from everyone else, anyway. If you've noticed, I don't exactly have a whole lot of experience with this kind of thing.**

_You have me as an example, don't you? I've dated a few girls since high school started, weren't you paying attention?_

**You called that dating?** Chara snorted. **It was all just you charming some girl into a sloppy kissing session behind a wall or something. I had to spend the whole time trying to ignore you.**

Frisk felt a sudden pang of guilt. It had never occurred to him that he might have made Chara uncomfortable with the way he handled the few girlfriends he had had. He remembered her being especially quiet during those times, but she had never actually said anything about it to him.

 _I'm sorry._ He said quietly.

 **Whatever. It's fine, I don't care.** Chara's tone was all but screaming that she _wasn't_ fine, and she _did_ care.

Frisk wasn't sure what else he could do, so he dropped the subject and started trying to think of what he could do to make it up to her. One thing was for sure; somehow he would have to get her and Kid together.


	4. Formless (Part 2)

Frisk was the last one off the bus. Despite it being warmer inside, he preferred the crisp outside air to the smell of sweat that permeated the bus. He turned around as he got off the last step and waved to the driver before beginning the short walk home.

Usually he would walk and talk with some of the other kids that got off at this stop, but today he just wanted to get home. Chara had been silent since math class, and though she generally didn't speak up unless she had something she wanted to say, Frisk was pretty sure her reticence stemmed more from the conversation they had had earlier than anything else.

Home wasn't too far from the stop, and Frisk quickly found himself at his front door. He opened it and walked inside, taking off his shoes as he did so. He could smell something cooking, probably his mother's latest stuffing experiment. He wasn't sure what about the bready dish fascinated her so much, but every Fall she would make all kinds of different varieties of the food, experimenting with different combinations and techniques.

Not that he was complaining. He was pretty sure his mother could make old boots taste good, given enough time. His stomach rumbled at the thought. Hopefully dinner would be ready soon.

He heard voices coming from the living room and plodded over. He was greeted by the sight of both his parents sitting on the couch, with Alphys comfortably nestled in one of the reading chairs.

"Hey, Mom. Dad. Alphys. What's going on over here?"

The trio looked up at him and Toriel started.

"Frisk! I did not hear you come in. How was school?"

The boy shrugged off his backpack and placed it next to the couch.

"It was alright, I guess. Just another day."

"Why don't you sit down?" Asgore gestured to the still unoccupied reading chair. "We have something we'd like to talk about."

Frisk raised a curious eyebrow, then obediently went to sit in the other chair. He didn't miss the nervous glances the reptile was sending his way. Alphys was many things, but a master of subtlety was not one of them. Though, in comparison to Undyne…

"Well, don't leave me hanging. What is it?"

Asgore and Toriel shared a glance, then Asgore asked quietly,

"Frisk… can we speak to your sister?"

The boy blinked.

"Wow, she's certainly been popular today."

**Quit it with the smart remarks, alright?**

Frisk smirked, then closed his eyes.

Chara looked at her parents, settling back comfortably into the chair.

"Mom. Dad. You guys wanted to talk to me?"

Toriel glanced at Alphys, then said quietly,

"We do, but… Chara, no matter what you decide, we will support your choice."

"What we are about to tell you, we just want you to know what your options are." Asgore put in. "We want you to be happy, alright?"

"Okay…" Chara said slowly, glancing between the three Monsters. "So… what's going on?"

Toriel nodded at Alphys and the scientist began to speak, alternating between fiddling her hands nervously and resting them on her slightly swollen stomach.

"W-well, um, you see, I was talking to Asgore and Toriel, and I uh, I mentioned that I m-might be able to make you… your own body?"

Alphys continued rapid-fire, not giving Chara the opportunity to respond.

"Uh! Only if you want to, of course! I mean, i-it's just an idea, and I don't know if you w-want one, but, um, if you did want it, I could-"

"Wait-wait-what!?" Chara exclaimed, trying to get a grasp on what Alphys was saying. "Stop! Just...what? I don't...I don't understand, what do you mean 'my own body'?"

Alphys glanced nervously at Toriel and Asgore. The two Boss Monsters nodded encouragingly at her in response. The scientist took a deep breath to calm herself.

"If… If you wanted, I could make you a robot body like… like Mettaton's."

Chara stared at the reptile for a moment, trying to process what Alphys was saying to her. Fortunately, Frisk seemed to have enough presence of mind to keep silent while she tried to get her thoughts together. Finally, she spoke up again.

"A body… like Mettaton's?"

Alphys fidgeted nervously.

"W-well, it doesn't have to be exactly like Mettaton's, if you want, you could help design the body... but it would still be a robot. I um… I don't know how to make organic bodies Uh… not without Undyne's help anyways."

Chara looked over to her parents, while Frisk snickered quietly in the back of her mind at Alphys's last comment.

"And.. you're okay with this?"

"Like we said, it is your decision." Asgore replied, his voice soothing. "Though it would be nice to be able to hug you again."

Chara looked down at her feet for a moment, then stood up slowly.

"Can… can I think about it for a moment?"

Toriel nodded.

"Of course, dear. There's no rush, take all the time you need."

The girl flashed a grateful smile to her mother, then began walking towards the stairs.

 

_Well, what do you think?_ Frisk asked, as Chara sat on the edge of their bed, staring blankly at the golden flowers that covered the room's wallpaper. At his voice, Chara let out a groan and flopped back onto the bed.

**I don't know! This is kind of a lot to take in!** Her inner voice began mimicking Asgore's deep tones. **"Come sit down Chara. By the way, we were wondering if you would like your own body." Uuurgh!**

_Do you not want your own body?_ Frisk asked curiously.

**It was weird when you were gone, alright? If I had my own body, I wouldn't have you in my head anymore.**

_Awww, you do care._

**Yeah, though I'm starting to wonder why.** Chara rolled onto her side and kept staring at the wall.

_I think you should do it._

Chara blinked, then gave a rueful grin.

**Tired of me already, are you?**

Frisk's image shook its head wildly.

_No! But…_ He sighed. _Are you really happy being in the background all the time, Chara?_

Frisk's question caught the girl off guard. That did seem to have been happening a lot today. When she didn't respond, Frisk continued.

_Aren't there things you want to do? Do you really want to share this body with me for the rest of our lives? I don't mind if you do, but… I get the feeling you haven't really been happy._

Chara rubbed her forehead, groaning in frustration. Frisk was right, in a lot of ways. But she still wasn't sure…

_Besides,_ Frisk continued, a devilish grin spreading across his face. _If you have your own body, then you can smooch Kid silly without sullying my virgin lips._

Chara couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped her. Her brother's antics were starting to make her feel better despite herself. She swung her legs down and sat up on the edge of the bed again.

**You're an idiot.**

_That wasn't a no…_ Before Chara could berate him again, Frisk quickly asked; _Well? What do you think?_

**Maybe… Maybe it would be nice to have my own body… at least for a while. I mean, I could always come back if it didn't work out, right?**

_Probably. I took you in once, I can do it again._

Chara nodded firmly, her resolve hardening within her. She stood up.

**All right then. We'll give this a try.** Then she smirked. **I hope you're ready; I won't be in your head to help you with your math class anymore.**

There was sudden silence from Frisk, and Chara let her grin widen.

_I suddenly regret my decisions._


	5. Formless (Part 3)

Chara stood in the old skateboard park, loose gravel shifting under her feet. Standing across from her, grinning widely, was Undyne. The fish warrior conjured a spear and tossed it into the air, catching it as it came down.

"You ready for some warm-ups, Chara?" she asked.

The girl took a quick look around. As usual, there were a few people watching from above the bowl the two were standing in. Most of them were Human, but there were a couple of Monsters, and Chara was startled to see Kid waving enthusiastically at her from his vantage point.

She gave a small wave in return, letting a smile creep across her face. Then she turned back to Undyne.

"You're going down this time, Undyne." She stated, her right eye beginning to glow with power as she summoned her knives.

"Fuhuhuhu! That's the spirit! But it'll take more than talk to take me down!" Undyne gestured and Chara's heart was called forth, floating just outside her chest. Immediately after leaving the safety of her body, the soul turned green and Undyne was already conjuring spears to fly at her from all around.

Chara had long ago stopped accepting the defensive spear that Undyne gave to her opponents to help them block her attacks. She wanted her victories to be under her own power, not the result of some silly sense of honour on Undyne's part. Instead, she used her knives to block the incoming attacks, barely managing to keep all of them from impacting her soul.

She couldn't move like this, and the pauses in between Undyne summoning new volleys to hurl at her were fairly brief. She did, however, have enough time to conjure a couple of red orbs above her head and send them flying at Undyne.

The warrior did not try to evade them, instead focusing on continuing her attack on Chara. Both orbs impacted her, and she staggered back, with a grunt.

"So, Alphys told me a couple days ago that you agreed to have her make a robot body for you." As Undyne spoke, Chara's heart turned red again, allowing her to move. She immediately threw herself to the side as the ground lit up beneath her, barely avoiding the spears rising from the ground.

"Yeah, I did." The tips of Chara's knives emitted their long beam of energy and she slashed them at Undyne. The fish warrior managed to evade one, but got hit by the other.

"Hah! Nice hit!" The warrior congratulated, then sent another volley at Chara while simultaneously restricting her movement with strategically placed spears flying up from the ground. Chara was unable to avoid all of them this time, and three spears found their mark.

"I think that's enough warming up, don't you?" Chara called, hoping to steer the conversation away from her future robot form. Undyne sometimes got a little too excited about these kinds of things.

The woman grinned in response.

"You ready for me to beat you already? But we just got started!"

"Don't underestimate me, Undyne!" Chara called back. "I've got some new tricks up my sleeve this time!"

"Ha! We'll see about that."

With that, Undyne's body began to glow, the light growing brighter and brighter until Chara was forced to look away. When it disappeared, she looked back, and Undyne the Undying was standing before her.

Even after sparring with her for over two years now, Chara still was impressed by the warriors second form. She was taller and bulkier, and her armour had transformed with her, a massive heart over her chest. Power poured from her damaged eye, spears of energy materializing and dissipating in the blink of an eye.

The warrior gestured, and Chara once again found herself frozen in place.

"Don't think I'm gonna go easy on you!" Undyne warned.

"Bring it!" Chara replied.

Undyne's spears began firing at her, far faster than they had been in her last form. Simultaneously, several spears rose from the ground to meet her from below. Frozen in place, Chara was unable to avoid the attacks from below, so she would need to take out as many of the spears flying towards her as possible.

The beams from her knives active once more, she swung, her magic destroying all the spears coming at her from the right side. With her other knife, she began blocking the ones coming in too close for her to take out from distance.

She grimaced as the spears from below impacted her; she didn't like how much damage she had taken already. She hadn't even damaged Undyne in her second form yet; anything she'd done to her in the warriors normal form was negated as soon as she transformed.

When the soul effect wore off, she immediately began moving, summoning five of her orbs and throwing them at Undyne. This time, she didn't have to worry about holding back in her power, given how incredibly durable Undyne was in this form. Undyne, for her part, rarely tried to evade Chara's attacks, allowing her armor to absorb most of the damage, and taking the rest on herself.

"Nice hit!" Undyne enthused. She began encircling Chara with her spears, striking her several times before the attack was spent. The girl slipped on the smooth surface below her feet and fell sprawling to the ground.

The warrior before her did not waste the opportunity, and Chara had to quickly roll out of the way of another barrage before lashing out with a beam from her knife. However, a row of spears rose from the ground, blocking the attack before it could impact the warrior.

Chara scowled and rolled, gathering her feet under her, then running to close with Undyne. The warrior grinned before leaping towards her, spear pointed straight at her heart. Chara barely managed to get out the way of the attack.

She retracted the beams from her knives, not wanting to accidentally hit any of the spectators. Undyne's weapon had the longer reach, but Chara had a lot of experience fighting with knives, and now she had two of them. She used one to try to deflect Undyne's spear, while the other made its own strikes on the warrior.

They traded blows for a few moments, before Undyne could turn Chara's heart green again. The warrior moved backwards, putting some distance between herself and Chara once again.

In between the flurries of spears that few at her again, Chara retaliated with her own attacks, and by the time the soul effect wore off and she could move again, both of them had taken significant damage.

Undyne was doing better than her, and by a decent margin, too. But they were both nearing the limit they had agreed upon to prevent either of them accidentally killing the other. Chara decided that now was the best time to play her trump card. She'd been practicing the technique in secret, so she wasn't sure if it would work on Undyne yet or not. Still, there was only one way to find out.

"Alright, Undyne!" She called out. "I hope you're ready, cause I'm gonna finish this, right here and now!" Chara began running towards the other warrior, her eye blazing with power as Undyne summoned a veritable forest of spears in response to her challenge.

Chara opened her left hand, letting the knife dissipate, then closing that hand into a fist. Immediately, Undyne became infused with a dark red, almost maroon energy. She began to move in slow motion, the speed of her attacks massively reduced.

It would not last for long, Chara knew that much. And even at reduced speed, it looked like Undyne was throwing absolutely everything she had at her. Spears rose from the ground, while others flew at her from above and still others began to encircle her. She dodged and weaved, tossing her own orbs at the blue-scaled woman.

There were so many spears. By the time she closed with Undyne, she was just one hit away from her limit. She leapt into the air, just dodging another ring of spears and closed both hands over her knife, raising it and hoping to sink it into the warrior deep enough to end the battle in her favour.

Unfortunately, with so much of her attention divided on being aware of where the spears were, she didn't realize that Undyne was resorting to a more mundane tactic. As her hand closed on the knife handle and she focused her power into her strike, her effect on Undyne ceased and the warrior's speed returned to normal.

Undyne's fist buried itself into Chara's stomach, knocking all the wind out of her, and breaking her concentration, causing her weapon to vanish in her hands. The force of the warrior's attack sent her flying across the rink and smacking into one of the ramps before rolling down to the ground.

Chara lay there for a few moments, groaning as her body made it very clear that the sudden impact had not at all been appreciated. She heard heavy clanking footsteps, then Undyne's worried voice.

"Hey, you alright there, Chara? I didn't hit you too hard, did I?"

Chara maneuvered herself so that she was resting on her elbows, then spat out blood and let her tongue inspect her split lip. It stung a little, but really wasn't that bad. She sat herself up on her knees and rolled her shoulders, grimacing.

"I'm alright, Undyne." Chara gave the warrior a rueful, bloody smile. "I shoulda seen that one coming."

_No, we're not alright!_ Frisk groaned. _This right here is why you need your own body, Chara. I'm the pacifist, remember? Why you guys like beating on each other like this is beyond me!_

**Frisk, you're whining again.**

Undyne slapped Chara on the shoulder, causing an impromptu squeak of pain to emit from the girl, and nearly knocked her back down to the ground. Undyne winced in sympathy and retracted her hand.

"Ah… sorry about that." Then she perked up. "But seriously, what the hell was that? That almost felt like-"

"A soul effect?" Chara cut in, grinning despite the pain. Undyne gave her an incredulous look.

"You can do those? Those things aren't easy to learn, and only a few Monsters even have the capability to try! That's… impressive!"

The warrior leant a hand to Chara, who accepted it gratefully, letting the stronger woman pull her to her feet. As she stood up, she raised a hand into the air to signify she was alright, and there were a few cheers from the watchers above.

"Great work! You nearly had me that time!" Undyne enthused. "Looks like I'm gonna have to watch my back now that you've got a soul effect too! I felt really slow while it was on me; is it a gravity thing like the skele-bros or…?"

Chara shook her head.

"It slows down time for whoever I affect it with. Makes it a lot easier for me to dodge your attacks."

"Fuhuhuhu! Not easy enough, though!"

Chara rubbed at the back of her head, hissing softly as her fingers grazed a bruise.

"I think that's all the sparring we're gonna do today." Undyne declared, her body shimmering as she reverted back into her regular form. "You should probably go home and clean up. I hear you're planning to spend the day with Kid."

Chara's head shot up at that, narrowing her eyes at Undyne's smiling face. Then she sighed. She should have known better than to make that phone call to Kid while Alphys was still in the house.

"Yeah, you're probably right." she replied, trying to keep her voice neutral.

She began walking towards the stairs, trying to avoid limping. She ignored Undyne when she called out;

"You kids have fun!"

Chara rolled her eyes and looked up to see Kid, bouncing with excitement as she came toward him. It was going to be an interesting day.


	6. Formless (Final)

"Umm, I-its not too tight, is it?"

Frisk shook his head carefully, trying not to dislodge the heavy metal device that sat on his head. He was sitting in Alphys' main lab, rather than her underground one. Small black restraints kept his arms and legs pinned to the chair, just in case something went wrong.

"Alright, w-well, it should all be ready to go, then. Are… are you ready, Chara?"

**I still can't believe she managed to finish my body in only a few weeks.**

_Well, she did massively upgrade my phone in like, five seconds when we went to see her the first time in Hotland._ Frisk pointed out. Aloud, he said;

"Yeah, she's ready."

"Okay then." The scientist waddled over to a switch on the wall. "Uh, when I pull this, it should provide you a direct pathway to your new body. It's uh, in that room just over there." She pointed a claw at the first doorway out of four going down a short hallway.

"Y-you might want to take some time to get used to your new form, it'll p-probably be a little different than your Human body. Uh, I left you some clothes in there, so you should be able to get dressed before you come out. A-any questions?"

Chara gave Frisk the okay, and Frisk gave Alphys a thumbs up.

"Alright, here we go…"

Alphys reached up and pulled the switch. The metal headpiece Frisk was wearing began vibrating intensely and lights began flashing brightly from it. The vibration became more and more intense, and Chara allowed herself to be pulled free from her brother's body.

It was different than when The Defiler had ripped her from Frisk. This time, instead of being pulled out into the world, she was being drawn through a machine designed for this purpose. She couldn't really make sense of anything, as if she was existing in a limbo state.

Very quickly, however, she felt a shudder ripple through her being, and suddenly, she was in a body again.

She remembered when she entered Frisk's body when he first fell into the Underground. She had retreated into the boy's subconscious for the first while, getting re-acclimated to having a physical form for the first time in hundreds of years.

This was not so different. Before she opened her eyes, she focused on figuring out the differences. There was no heartbeat for one, something she wouldn't have even thought about while she had one, but it was odd how profound the loss seemed when she no longer had it. In it's place, she could feel currents of energy flowing through her.

Some of the energy was magical, and she guessed that the rest was electrical. Which brought her to the next sensation, which was slightly more difficult to describe. She knew that with the amount of metal used in a robot body, their forms had more physical matter than most monsters. Even so, the feeling of loss of physicality was one that would take some time getting used to.

It was almost enough to keep her attention away from the other strange feeling of loss, the feeling of no longer having Frisk inside her head. It had been so long since that last happened, she had forgotten how empty it felt without him.

Finally, she opened her eyes, taking stock of the room around her. She was sitting on a short bench, and across the room there was a full length mirror, with some clothes lying next to it. She stood up carefully, quickly realizing she was slightly taller than Frisk was. She'd have to get used to that moderate height difference.

She walked over to the mirror, only stumbling once before reaching it, then gazed into the glass, taking stock of her new body.

Red eyes peered out in the middle of a heart-shaped face. Like Mettaton, her bangs swept forwards, all but covering one eye. However, the rest of her hair was longer, falling about her shoulders. Experimentally, she tangled a finger in her hair. The jet-black strands were very much like the real thing, though they felt tougher, and perhaps a bit coarser.

Three exposed metal bars lined the left side of her jaw, mostly at her own insistence. She wanted it advertised that she was a robot, and she had no desire to be mistaken for Human.

Her eyes traveled down. Below her neck, her whole body was polished, jet-black metal, unlike her face which was a pale white. Once again, it was her own insistence, Alphys could have created a near-perfect android body for her, but that wasn't what she wanted.

She flexed her fingers and shook her long legs, twisting to catch different angles of herself in the mirror. Her gaze was drawn to the power core placed where her belly button would have been. Unlike Mettaton's which was heart-shaped, hers was shaped like the head of a golden flower, with a deep red gel-like substance visible within it.

There weren't a lot of extra features attached; Toriel had vetoed most of the ones she had actually wanted, and the rest hadn't been very interesting to her. She knew there was a speaker built into her chest, and she was pretty sure she had cell phone capabilities, though she wasn't sure how to access them.

**Well, at least I don't have to worry about being called a boy again.** Chara smirked, looking at the petite mounds adorning her chest.

_And I don't have to hear you complaining about it anymore. Win-win!_

It took Chara a second to process Frisk's voice, and when she did, she let out an undignified squeal, immediately turning around.

**Frisk?! What are you still doing here!?**

She could hear the boy laughing, though strangely, she still didn't feel his presence, and could call up no image of him.

_Aw, man, I wish I could see your face. I bet it's priceless right now. Don't worry, I can't see anything, I'm still outside._

**What? But, how?**

_I dunno. I didn't know we could still talk to each other until you spoke up. I guess we're still linked somehow._

Chara groaned.

**Just when I thought I was free.** She said wryly.

_Hey, come on now, you know you miss me when I'm gone._

**You, yes. Your voice, not so much.**

There was a short chuckle, then Frisk asked;

_So, how's it going over there? New body treating you well?_

**It's a little weird, but I'll get used to it.** She looked over to the clothes lying nearby. **I'll be out in a minute, just getting dressed.**

_Cool. I'll let the others know._

Chara took a little longer to dress herself than she would have liked, still getting used to her proportions and how her body felt. She had wondered if there would be any loss of sensation now that she was mostly made of metal. But she could still feel the soft texture of the green shirt and the tougher feel of the cargo pants that had been left for her. She decided it was probably the magic that helped power her body that allowed for this. Alphys had even mentioned that she would still be able to taste food, though she should really only eat Monster food from now on.

At last, she was fully dressed, and she took one last glance at herself in the mirror before taking a deep breath and walking out of the room.

She entered the brightly lit lab. Frisk was just getting out of his chair, Alphys pulling the last of the restraints off his leg. The boy waved at her with a wide grin on his face.

"Good to see you, sis."

Chara couldn't help but grin.

"Good to be seen." She paused in surprise at her voice. It was definitely hers, and it sounded similar to what it had when she was in Frisk's body, but there was a slightly synthetic tone to it now. Another thing to get used to.

Frisk barked a laugh at her retort, and Alphys scuttled over, holding some kind of device that looked like a cross between a TV remote and a Ipad.

"H-hold still."

She waved it about Chara, and the device made a few quiet beeping sounds. Alphys stared at the device for a moment before letting out a relieved grin.

"It looks like… like it worked! How do you feel?"

Chara rolled her shoulders wiggled her fingers.

"It's kind of weird… but I'll get used to it." she declared. "I think I like it."

Alphys sighed in relief.

"Th-that's good. Um, now I just want to go over a couple of things…"

Chara gave a nod to indicate she was listening and the nervous reptile continued.

"Uhm, most of your power comes from your battery. It's got enough of a charge for eighteen hours. Uh… when you're powered down, though, it'll recharge. Every hour you spend powered down will recharge three hours of your battery life.

B-but! That's only the main power source. Like we discussed earlier, you've got a lot of magic sustaining you, like most Monsters. S-so, you could eat Monster food, and get recharged a bit with that, since that'll sustain your magic. You should theoretically be able to use your own magic to power your body too, but that puts a lot of strain on your soul, and you'd have to power down for longer afterwards to recover.

"Uhm… any questions?"

Chara thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. Not yet anyway."

Frisk smiled.

"Alright, good. Mom's been texting me every other minute asking if everyone can come in yet. I was getting tired of saying we were waiting on you."

Chara turned to face the door on the other end of the room, and was not surprised to see Papyrus's skull peeking through the glass window set in it.

Mere seconds later, the door burst open and Papyrus ran through, swiftly followed by Toriel and Asgore. Sans sauntered slowly out behind them, leaning against the doorframe and watching the proceedings.

"Wowie! Chara, you look great! I, the great Papyrus, welcome you back with open arms!"

Chara smirked as the skeleton raised his arms, only to be overtaken by her parents who swooped in for the kill. Asgore grabbed her first, actually lifting the girl into the air, an expression of sheer delight on his face.

"Asgore!" Toriel chided, though she was laughing at the same time.

"No, pressure, Asgore." Sans called from his position by the doorway. "But it looks like there's a line."

"There's no need to rush, you guys." Frisk called. "Chara's not going anywhere, no need to start up an arms race!"

"Frisk, why?" Both Chara and Papyrus said in unison, causing a ripple of laughter to course around the room. Asgore finally let his daughter down, allowing the others to crowd around her.

She felt a bit cramped with everyone so close to her, but given the circumstances, she was willing to put up with it for now. She grinned again. She couldn't wait to show off her new form to Kid. He wasn't going to know what hit him.


	7. First Impressions

Frisk's homeroom teacher rapped her ruler on the desk, quieting the rowdy students. The elderly Human woman glared at them all through her spectacles, her steely gaze lingering on the few teens who hadn't yet seemed to get the message.

"Ahem." she said sternly, and finally, silence fell upon the classroom.

"Thank you. Now, class, as some of you may know, a new student has enrolled to our school. She is a little late, but I'm sure she'll do just fine catching up. Would you please come in, dear?"

Frisk had to stifle a chuckle as Chara walked into the room. She was wearing her favorite shirt with the yellow stripe, and jeans with one knee torn out, exposing the black metal joint. She was wearing her heart-shaped locket around her neck and her head was bowed slightly, just enough so that her bangs covered her eyes.

At her appearance, there was a chorus of appreciative mutters and even a couple wolf whistles and catcalls from some of the more boisterous teens. Kid leaned over from his seat next to Frisk's and whispered to the boy;

"Yo, is that…"

Frisk nodded, letting the grin on his face widen. Given how busy Chara had been in the few days since getting her new body, Kid hadn't had a chance to see her like this, though Frisk had made sure to let him know about it. Fortunately, Toriel's insistence on her children's education had led to Chara being enrolled in the school as soon as she could.

Kid leaned back into his desk, his eyes wide as he looked at the girl. Frisk heard the boy mutter an awed "Yo…" under his breath. Oh, this was gonna be good…

"Hello everyone." Chara said demurely, her synthetic tones washing over the room. "My name is…"

She raised her head, her crimson eyes sweeping over the class.

"Chara Dreemurr."

The room went silent. Frisk looked around the room to see almost every single one of his peers pale-faced. Especially the ones who had just been catcalling her. Chara smiled knowingly, and Frisk was glad that Mrs. Stevenson was behind her so she didn't see the expression on his sister's face.

"Well, Chara." The teacher said. "There is an empty desk next to your brother. Why don't you go sit there?"

Chara inclined her head and made her way over to Frisk, but paused next to the boy sitting in front of him and whispered something in his ear. Frisk didn't catch what it was, but the other boy shrank back as Chara resumed her pace.

She sat down next to Frisk, slinging her small backpack under her desk.

_So you come into class for the first time, and the first thing you do is scare the pants off of everyone. That was your master plan?_

Chara shrugged.

**I've seen all these people already, remember?** She replied. **They're not really worth my time. Anyway, these guys are all in our grade, which means that they remember the "Demon Child". Didn't really have much of a chance, even if I wanted one.**

_Well, your plan almost succeeded. You managed to scare the pants off everyone except the one you actually want to see pantsless._

**I know where you sleep.**

_Oh, come on, you wouldn't hurt your loving, awesome brother, now would, you? By the way,_ he continued, _not really wanting to hear Chara's answer to that question, What did you say to Steve?_

**He was one of the worst bullies back in elementary. I dealt with him while you were gone, but I've been noticing some sketchy behaviour from him recently. I just gave him a friendly reminder that I'm still watching.**

_You've been in class for all of four minutes and you've already threatened someone. Honestly, I'm surprised it took you that long._

"Mr. Frisk!" His teacher's voice washed over him and the boy looked up questioningly. "Would you care to repeat back to me everything I just explained to you?"

Frisk groaned inwardly. This was already shaping up to be a long day.

 

"Look, Chara, there's really no reason to be nervous."

"I am not nervous!"

The siblings were standing in the main hallway on the top floor of the school, near where most of the lockers were lined up. Not far from where they were, a group of Monsters, including Kid, were talking and laughing with each other.

"Why are you stalling then?" Frisk grinned. "Just go on over there and ask him out!"

"Frisk, I just got this body. He barely knows me!"

"He spent months hanging out with you while I was gone," The boy argued. "And you two have been talking quite a bit over the last month. I barely got to talk to him when we went over to his place! Trust me, it'll be fine."

"Not to question your oh-so-great romantic skills," Chara said sarcastically, "But you've never been good at making relationships stick. Your 'girlfriends' were more make-out partners than anything else."

"So you're saying you want more than a make-out partner out of Kid?" He shook his head mockingly. "Oh man, you've really fallen for him, haven't you?"

Frisk barely managed to avoid the fist that his sister tried to bury in his stomach.

"It's just. A. Crush." She all but growled at him, her eyes shining an even brighter red.

"Well, then, you've got nothing to lose! You go over there, and ask him out. If he says no, you'll get over it. But when he says yes, then you get to snuggle your crush without me hanging around."

Chara narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is just some elaborate trick you're trying to play on me?"

Frisk's eyes widened, a hurt expression crossing his face.

"What? No! No, I wouldn't do that to you, this is way too important. Besides, Alphys and I ship you two hardcore. Your brother's giving you as much support as you can handle and then some!"

"Somehow, that doesn't fill me with confidence." Chara muttered. "And please don't ever use the word "ship" to describe real people again."

"Only if you get that metal butt over there and talk to Kid!"

"Fine." Chara huffed. "If it's that important to you." And without further ado, she marched over to the group.

Frisk could barely stop himself from jumping up and down in excitement. Carefully, he walked towards the group, keeping himself out of his sister's line of sight. He stopped just within earshot, and pulled out his phone, pretending to text while he listened in on their conversation. There was no way he was gonna miss this.

"Hey, Kid." Chara said, drawing the attention of the group of Monsters. Most of them just gave the girl curious looks, but Kid smiled widely at her appearance.

"Hey, Chara! Good to see you!"

Frisk couldn't see Chara's face from where he was, but he really hoped she was blushing, and not pretending to play it cool. His sister responded;

"Yeah, you too."

"Yo, what's it like being in a robot body?" Kid cocked his head to the side curiously. "Does it feel different or…"

Chara hesitated, then slowly replied, "It's.. definitely different. But I'm getting used to it." Her synthetic tones caused the chuckle she gave to echo down the hallway. "Guess I'm technically a Monster now, huh?"

"Guess so! Haha!"

"Hey, Kid… can I ask you something?"

"Sure!"

There was a pause, and Frisk was getting jumpier by the second.

_Come on, don't back out now…_

**Are you _listening_ to this?!**

_Yeah, yeah, punch me later. You've got more important things going on right now!_

"Chara? You okay?" Kid asked, concern on his face.

"I'm fine, sorry about that." Chara replied smoothly. "I wanted to ask if you wanted to go see a movie sometime."

Kid appeared to think about the question for a moment, then tilted his head to the side.

"Like… a date?" He questioned.

"Uhh… yes?" Chara was starting to sound a little nervous, something that Frisk probably found more gratifying than he really should have.

"Yo! Cool!" Kid enthused, and Frisk could all but see the stars in the boy's eyes. "That'd be awesome!"

"Really?" Chara asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Yeah! Yo, there's even a really cool one out right now that I wanted to see, we could watch that one together!"

"Yeah, sure!"

"Awesome! Hey, I'll set up a time and day when I get home, and I'll call you right away, alright?"

"That sounds great."

A voice crackled to life over the PA system, momentarily startling everyone.

"Would all students involved in the drama club please report to the cafeteria." It boomed.

"Yo! That's me!" Kid bounced up and down excitedly. "I wonder what that's all about, haha. See you later Chara!"

"Uh, later."

Kid rushed off, and Chara gave a little nod to the group he had been with before turning and marching back to her brother, who of course had a giant goofy grin on his face.

"He said… yes." She muttered, still sounding slightly shocked.

"Of course he did! I told you so." He started singing. "Caaaan you feeel the looo-"

This time, he wasn't able to avoid the slap fast enough, and he almost fell over from the force of the impact.

"Ow…" He rubbed his chest ruefully while his sister glared at him. "So ungrateful."

Chara huffed in exasperation and folded her arms in front of her chest.

"You're ridiculous."

"And you have a boyfriend." Frisk grinned.

"No, I have a date." Chara corrected.

"You say potater, I say zamatermorts."

Chara rolled her eyes.

"You've been watching that stupid show again, haven't you? God, I'm glad I don't have to suffer through that with you anymore."

"Hey, that stuff's funny!" Frisk put his phone away and adjusted the strap on his backpack. "Anyways, lunch break's over soon, and I should get to math class a little early to score some brownie points with Mr. Zeff. Catch you later, sis."

"Brownie points are about the only ones you're gonna score in that class!" Chara called after him. She was probably right. But today, that was just a cover. He needed to go and tell his friends about Chara's new boyfriend.

Hopefully she wouldn't be able to trace it back to him… but that was a risk he was willing to take.


	8. Kid's Magic

"Yo, those guys were so cool!"

Chara couldn't help but smile at Kid's enthusiasm. The movie had been alright, but honestly, it had been more entertaining to watch the reptilian Monster's reactions to it. It was kind of adorable how he would bounce up and down in his seat when he got excited.

"They were pretty good." She admitted, reaching out a metallic arm to hold open the door exiting the theatre for the armless Monster. The boy flashed her a grateful smile, shaking himself to dislodge some of the bits of popcorn that had gotten stuck on his shirt. "I probably could have taken them though."

Kid laughed.

"Probably. I mean, you can fight Undyne! And she's like, the strongest Monster there is!"

"One of them, anyway," Chara replied.

They walked out onto the sidewalk, greeted by the setting sun as it lowered itself slowly behind the mountain. While Chara couldn't really be adversely affected by the cold in her new body, she was still able to feel the chill in the breeze that swept past them. It would be December in a week or two, she briefly wondered if she should start wearing winter gear. She'd need to ask Alphys how well her new form would do in the snow...

"So, what do you want to do now?" Kid asked curiously, bringing the girl's attention back to him.

"Well, it's still a while before I have to go home, maybe we can walk around for a while," she suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds good!" the boy enthused as reptile and robot began walking side-by-side down the sidewalk.

Chara watched in slight amusement as Kid licked his lips again to make sure he'd gotten everything out of his popcorn from the theatre, and kept checking his shirt when he thought she wasn't looking to make sure he'd gotten rid of all the crumbs.

"I don't know how you managed to eat that entire bag so quick without any hands." Chara remarked, wincing inwardly at her synthetic tones. She still was having trouble getting used to how she sounded now.

The boy looked up a little guiltily.

"Uhh… you did say you didn't want any, right?"

Chara laughed. "Don't worry, popcorn is Frisk's thing. Seriously though, he's like, addicted to the stuff. You know the dimensional boxes he has on his phone? Every single one of them is full of popcorn."

"Yo, no wonder he always manages to have some!" Kid chuckled.

"Needless to say, sharing a body with him, I had more than enough of that to last me a lifetime. Good thing mom's such a good cook, or we'd have been eating nothing but popcorn!"

Kid let out another laugh, and Chara smiled at the sound of it. Hearing the happiness in his tone made her feel warm inside, and knowing that she'd been the cause of it was nothing short of incredible.

When the boy quietened, he flashed a toothy grin at her.

"Yo… you're really cool, you know? I'm glad you managed to get your own body, haha."

The girl blinked rapidly, surprised at his words. "Uhh...I'm glad too." she managed. "And I think you're pretty cool yourself."

The boy looked down shyly.

"Thanks… but I'm not nearly as cool." He looked back up brightly. "I mean… You can make those energy knives, you've got a soul effect… even your eye glows when you activate your magic! That's so hardcore!"

Chara's black brows knit together in a frown, slightly bothered by her date's self-deprecation. While she tried to figure out how to boost his morale, she let her curiosity get the better of her.

"Does the eye glow mean anything?" She asked "It's just an effect, right?"

Kid stopped.

"No way…" He breathed. "Yo… don't you know the story about that?"

Chara looked at him questioningly. After a moment, he began walking again.

"There's a legend." He began, his voice lowered conspiratorially. "I had to write an essay on it once. Way back before the Monsters got driven Underground, there used to always be three Monsters whose power was so great that the magic would leak out of one eye. They were the strongest of all the Monsters, even more powerful than Boss Monsters.

Kid began bouncing excitedly as he talked.

"Undyne gets like that when she goes Undying, and you get like that whenever you use your magic! That means that you're one of the strongest Monsters there is!"

"I… didn't know about that." Chara supposed it wasn't too surprising though. She wondered how Kid would react if she knew that Sans could do the same thing.

Suddenly, a thought struck her.

"Hey, Kid…"

"Yeah, Chara?"

"I've never seen you use your magic."

The boy looked down sheepishly.

"Aw, man. I mean, it's not really anything special. Definitely not as cool as you or Undyne."

"I want to see it."

Kid looked up, surprise in his eyes.

"Yo, really?"

Chara nodded, then looked around.

"We're not that far from the skate park where Undyne and I usually spar. We can go over there!"

Kid still seemed kind of hesitant.

"Are you sure?"

"Come on, Kid. It'll be great! I wanna see what you can do!"

The boy perked up a little at Chara's enthusiasm. He took a deep breath and stood up straight again.

"Alright… but promise not to laugh."

"I promise." Chara responded, grinning and inwardly rejoicing at her success.

 

It didn't take long to get to the skate park, and Chara and Kid were soon standing in the the middle of the large bowl that she and Undyne favored for their sparring. She watched the yellow-scaled Monster eagerly, wondering what kind of magic the boy possessed.

As Kid prepared himself, Chara took the opportunity to really look at him in a way she had been unable to when in Frisk's body, and unwilling to do prior.

He was just slightly taller than her, his head spikes looking almost polished and glistening in the dying light. Despite his current concentration, his brown eyes sported the light that they always did, a light of hope and happiness.

Her gaze travelled down. His shoulders had broadened since they had grown, and he was wearing a plain, deep red shirt today, as well at jeans that accentuated his long, strong legs. Usually she didn't think much about appearances, but she really seemed to like just looking at Kid. It probably helped that yellow was her favorite colour...

The boy turned, and gave her a slightly nervous look. Chara brought her gaze back up to his eyes, giving him an encouraging nod, smiling brightly at him as she did so. Kid's lips twitched up in a smile. Then he widened his stance, his tail standing out straight behind him for balance. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath.

Chara's crimson eyes widened in surprise as a gout of flame poured forth from the boy's mouth. The orange flame extended all the way to the other side of the bowl, it's core burning a bright blue.

As the boy closed his mouth, the fire faded out of existence. He turned his head towards Chara, who had a very impressed look on her face.

"That was pretty good!" She congratulated. "There was a lot of fire there, that attack would be really difficult to dodge!"

"You really think so?"

"I said so, didn't I? You got anything else to show me?" Kid's eyes brightened.

"I do have one other move…"

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Emboldened by Chara's support, Kid faced away once more, taking another deep breath. This time, instead of breathing everything out in one massive gout, he fired three long bolts of blue flame. They spread out, each of them impacting a different part of the curved wall before them.

Chara was not prepared for what happened when they impacted.

Each one exploded into a shower of smaller orange flames that floated back towards the duo, though they winked out of existence before they got too close. A small scorch mark indicated where each bolt of flame had hit the curved walls of the bowl.

"I've never seen anyone do magic like that… that was really impressive!" the robot beamed, walking closer to the boy. "Have you been training with it?"

Kid shook his head, though his eyes gleamed happily.

"I don't actually use it all that much." The boy explained. "Just when I need to discharge my magic buildup."

Chara let a slow smile creep across her face.

"You know…" She said, a conspiratorial tone entering her synthetic voice. "I bet you could get really strong if you did train. Maybe I could help you with that?"

"Y… You want to train me?" Kid asked, a goofy grin broadening across his muzzle.

In response, Chara hopped back a couple steps, and she let her right eye begin to glow.

"Let's see what you got, Kid!"

 

The boy hunched over, panting heavily as Chara finally let her magic dissipate. She'd known he wouldn't be able to beat her, but that wasn't the point, was it? She already had a few suggestions on how he could improve on his techniques. If they worked together on this, she was sure he'd improve significantly.

And her plan to keep training with him had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Kid alternatively looked pretty cool when breathing gouts of flame, and absolutely adorable when he was exhausted like this.

"Good work, Kid!" Chara called out, walking towards her date. "You could use some improvement, obviously. But for someone who hasn't actually practiced with their powers before, you did really well!"

Kid finally managed to catch his breath and stood straight again, rolling his shoulders as he did so.

"Haha! Thanks, Chara!" Then he winced, and grinned ruefully. "Man, those orbs of yours really sting…"

"Yeah, we might have to work on your HP too. It's not terrible, but it's a good thing I can moderate the power of my attacks. Speaking of…"

She stopped a couple of feet away from Kid and smiled at him.

"That big flame blast you do is impressive, but I won't get hurt by the orange flames as long as I move, or I could just sit in the blue core until it ends. Next time, try moving your head from side-to-side when you use that attack.

"We can work on that and the other one later, though. I had a lot of fun today!"

"Yo! Me too! Haha! We should totally do it again sometime!"

Chara felt her cheeks color, but nodded in agreement. Then, unexpectedly, Kid bounded forward, crashing into the mechanical girl, and pressing his torso against her own.

She let out a little gasp, and it took her a moment to realize that the boy was trying to hug her.

Once she understood, she tentatively raised her own arms and folded them around the yellow-scaled Monster. It wasn't quite one of Toriel's hugs, but it was… nice.

 

"Oh, come on… kiss her, you fool!" Frisk grumbled to himself. He lowered his binoculars for a moment, rubbing at his eyes before putting them back up.

There was a rustling sound from behind him as Sans tried to make himself more comfortable on the branch he was laying on.

"Remind me why we're sitting in a tree watching your sister's first date again?"

"We're in the tree because _I_ wanted a vantage point, and _you_ teleported us here. And _we're_ not watching them. I am, while you're lazing off, as usual."

"Can't help it. I'm _bone_ tired."

Frisk let out a chuckle, then frowned.

"Come on Sans, this is important! I mean, they spent the last twenty minutes fighting each other! Chara clearly needs my help to figure out how a date is supposed to go."

"It's your funeral, buddy. How do you plan on explaining to her that you basically watched her entire date?"

"I'll figure something out." He focused through the binoculars again. "Looks like they're heading home now… Oh well. baby steps I guess. If only my sister wasn't such a prude."

The boy sighed.

"Alright, Sans, let's get out of here. Nothing more to see."

"I dunno, This branch is actually pretty comfy if you lie down on it right…"

Frisk looked over to the skeleton, who was currently lying on the branch, his head facing away from the trunk and his shoulders resting against a fork in the wood. His legs dangled over the sides of the branch, slippered feet swaying in the slight breeze.

"Come on, Sans, I can't get out of this tree by myself, you know how high up we are?"

"It's kind of relaxing, actually."

"Sans, now is not the time!"

"Zzzzzz..."

"Sans!"


	9. Christmas (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologies to anyone who's read this before, something went very wrong and a chunk of the chapter was missing. I didn't notice until now, so hopefully it's fixed now.

Snow crunched underfoot, metallic feet alongside reptilian as Chara and Kid walked down the sidewalk. The last day of school before Christmas break had just finished. When they left the school building, they had been greeted by the first snowfall. Chara really wasn’t sure why the winters around here never had any snow until at least halfway through December, but she was sure Alphys appreciated it.

Speaking of reptilian Monsters, she glanced over to the boy walking beside her. He was still just wearing a shirt and pants, without even a sweater to keep the cold out. He wasn’t even wearing any shoes!

“Aren’t you cold?” She asked. “I know nobody was expecting it to snow today, but it was still pretty cold beforehand.”

“Not really. I’m actually pretty much always warm.”

Chara reached out a hand skeptically and pressed it into Kid’s side, smirking at the tiny jump and giggle the action evoked from the boy. She was going to have to remember that he was ticklish. 

He was right. He was warm to the touch, and she could _just_ feel the heat emanating off of him. After having this body for about a month now, she was starting to get the hang of how she felt things now, the dual input she received both from her body’s internal systems, and the magic that compensated for senses she didn’t have. 

She gave the boy an impressed look.

“How do you do that?”

Kid turned to look at her, a quizzical expression on his face as he cocked his head to one side. After a moment, he brightened.

“Ohhh, right! Haha, I keep forgetting you’re not technically a Monster!”

Chara raised an eyebrow at the boy, and he continued.

“We’re basically made of magic, right? Since I have fire magic, that partly makes up my body too! So it doesn’t matter how cold it is, I’m always warm! Good thing, too; ‘cause we used to live in Snowdin, haha.” He paused. “Doesn’t your magic work like that too?”

Chara hesitated for a moment.

“Not really… I had my magic before I got this body. I can feel the magic that’s helping power me, and the magic that I use to fight, but they’re both separate. They don’t even really feel the same.”

“I guess you really are special!” He looked right into her red pupils as he spoke, a warm smile lighting up his face like a Christmas tree.

Chara looked away to hide the blush that spread across her features, wishing that the magic that allowed her to feel much the same way she had when she was Human didn’t also cause this effect on her, despite her robotic form. 

Kid was so genuine, there was never any doubt that he didn’t wholly mean what he said. No wonder he’d started looking up to Papyrus.

“Hey, look, there’s your house.” 

Chara blinked in surprise. Were they that close already? She checked her internal clock and realized with a start they had been walking for nearly half an hour. She’d barely felt the time go by. 

“Guess I should probably head home, huh? My parents’ll probably be waiting for me, haha.”

“That reminds me,” Chara said, turning to look at him. “I’ve never actually seen your parents around when I come visit.”

“They’re really busy most of the time,” Kid explained. “I don’t even get to see them all that often. Yo, but my sister does, so that’s okay. They don’t like it if I stay out for too long, though. Anyway, I’ll see you around, okay, Chara?”

Kid leaned into Chara for a hug, which the robot girl gladly gave, then dashed off down the street. Chara watched after him for a moment, before heading into the house. Was it her imagination, or had Kid seemed a bit… defensive when she brought up his parents? Maybe she’d have to talk to her Mom about it later. She didn’t like the idea that her adorable boyfriend might have a neglectful family.

_When did I start referring to him as my boyfriend?_

She dismissed the thought from her mind and opened the door, walking into the house and kicking off her shoes. She could hear her parents in the kitchen, probably working on whatever dinner was going to be. The metallic girl walked over and poked her head through the doorway.

“Mom, Dad, I’m home.”

The two turned at the sound of her voice, and Chara could barely suppress a giggle, since they were absolutely covered in flour, the powder clinging to fur and clothes alike. Her father looked slightly sheepish, while Toriel seemed more amused than anything else. 

“Chara, dear,” her mother exclaimed. “I did not hear you come in! Did you walk back from school with Kid again?”

The girl nodded, crossing her arms in front of her and smirking at the flour Monsters before her. Then she groaned inwardly. Flour Monsters… Flowey… Goddamn it, Sans.

“I’m glad that you’ve been so good to him,” Asgore put in, wiping a hand across his face and smearing rather than dislodging the powder. “He’s been through a lot, and I’m sure you’ve been helping to brighten his days.”

“What do you mean he’s been through a lot?” Chara asked. “Did something happen?”

Asgore gave a little frown. 

“Well, with his parents, of course.”

Chara’s eyes narrowed. 

“I heard they’ve been busy a lot. Have they been neglecting him? I thought he sounded kind of defensive when I asked about it.”

Her parents shared a look, then Asgore gave a deep sigh and placed a hand on Toriel’s shoulder.

“I’ll tell her about it, Tori. I’m, uh… not being incredibly useful over here anyways.”

Toriel nodded, a sad look in her eyes as she watched her husband walk into the living room. Chara glanced between them suspiciously, then followed her father. 

He strode over to the couch and took a seat, oblivious to the the powder he trailed behind him. He gestured for her to take a seat next to him, and she complied. 

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I thought that you knew.”

“Knew what?” Chara asked, irritation lacing her tone. 

“Kid’s whole family died almost a year before Frisk fell into the Underground.”

A stunned silence filled the room, as the girl tried to process what her father had just said. Then she shook her head. 

“No, when Frisk and I were down there, he talked about them! He even asked me not to tell them he was going out to see Undyne! There’s no way-”

“He never accepted their deaths,” Asgore explained gently. “He always insisted that they were still around, no matter what anyone told him. Some people tried to take him in, but he always insisted that he had to stay with his family.” He gave a little shrug. “So the community ended up raising him. People would leave food for him, and keep the house tidy. It’s the same now. Even if he doesn’t accept it, he lives in that house by himself.”

“So… he really believes they’re still alive?” Chara questioned, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by this information.

“Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, I… thought you’d have figured it out already.” 

Chara stood up, her gaze downcast.

“I’m… going up to my room.” With that quiet declaration, she began walking towards the stairs, Asgore’s sympathetic gaze following after her..

 

Chara quietly closed the door to her room and leaned against it, putting a hand over her eyes. How could she have been so blind? She should have known something was off. Granted she hadn’t been to his home many times, and when she had, Frisk had usually been in control. She still should have realized something was off sooner. 

“Bad day?” A familiar voice asked. Chara started, dropping her hand. Frisk was lying down on her bed, his head hanging just over the edge and he was giving her an upside-down grin, his hair falling far enough to almost touch the floor. Chara stared at him.

“Why are you in my room?”

“You’ve seen mine, right? It’s a place to sleep in; there’s no room for anything else. Besides, I wanted to talk to you.”

“You have no idea how little interest I have in your idiocy today.” Chara opened the door and glared at her brother. “Leave. Now.”

“This has something to do with Kid, doesn’t it? Did the two of you have a lover’s spat?” 

Chara paused, then narrowed her eyes at the boy.

“Did you know about this?”

“I know a lot of things,” Frisk replied, the mysterious air he attempted to portray negated by how ridiculous he looked hanging upside-down. “Which one would you be talking about in particular?”

“Did you know that Kid’s parents are dead?” Chara demanded.

Frisk started so hard that he fell out of the bed, his head bouncing off the floor. He rubbed the sore spot a moment, before looking up at Chara wide-eyed.

“What?! What happened? Is Kid alright?”

The boy was unusually silent while Chara repeated Asgore’s story. When it was finished he sat back down on the bed.

“Man… I had no idea. Poor guy... that must have really affected him if he still refuses to accept that after four years. I kinda wish I’d known sooner.”

“Yeah…” Chara muttered mournfully. “Now, can you please leave?”

“Look, Chara,” Frisk said, looking up at his sister. “You can’t change what happened to Kid, it happened even before we fell down there. But what you can do… is give him the best Christmas ever.”

“That’s what you wanted to talk to me about?” Chara asked, incredulous. “Is now really the time?”

“Why not? You feel bad for him, right? You want to make him feel better, right?” 

“Frisk, if this is leading into another joke about me trying to get into his pants, I will throw you out the window, I swear by every god that exists.”

Frisk put up his hands in surrender. 

“I swear, the thought never even crossed my mind.”

“Liar.”

“Look, have you even started thinking about what to get Kid for Christmas? You were planning on getting him something, right?”

Chara’s silence was the only answer the boy needed.

“Look, I know this kind of thing isn’t usually your deal. I get it. And you didn’t have to worry about it so much the last couple of years. But you really like Kid, right? I can help you find something really special for him. Whaddya say?”

Under normal circumstances, Chara would be extremely hesitant to accept any “help” her brother offered. But despite his love of teasing, Frisk was never cruel or intentionally mean. After what she had just told him, the odds of him trying to sabotage her for a few laughs was at an all-time low.

“I’ll hear you out… but I promise nothing. This had better be good.”


	10. Christmas (Part 2)

"Wow, you finished it already?" Frisk asked into his cell phone, holding it to his ear as he sat comfortably in Toriel's large reading chair. "I knew you could do it, Alphys!"

Chara watched him from across the room, absently polishing her sleek, black metal arms as she did so. Her brother listened into the phone for a few moments, nodding his head absently as the nervous reptile chattered. Chara hated it when he did that. Didn't he know that no-one on the other end could actually see him?

"No, it's fine, you know what you're doing better than us. Sure, we'll be able to come and check it out tomorrow, but I'm sure it'll be great. Uh-huh…. Uh-huh… Look, I know it'll be fine, okay? There's seriously nothing to worry about. Chara'll love it, Kid'll love it…

"Okay, how about you go lie down for a few minutes, alright? You'll feel better, and your baby'll thank you for it when he comes out. You know he's coming soon, the last thing he's gonna need is a stressed-out mom." Frisk grinned into the phone. "Alright, bye."

He pulled the phone away from his face and pressed a button, ending the call. Then, he turned to Chara and gave a overdramatic bow.

"See? This is why you listen to me. Alphys has finished up a present that Kid will certainly cherish for the rest of his life. Tomorrow we can go out and check on it, but knowing her, it's even better than what we asked for."

"Why can't we check on it today?" The robotic girl asked.

"Because, my dear sister," Frisk replied, a massive smile on his face. "We are going shopping!"

Chara raised an elegant brow to look at Frisk, who was still grinning like an idiot.

"... Really?"

"Don't give me that look! You've got a present that'll blow Kid's socks off… or at least it would if he ever wore socks. But you've got other friends to think about! Remember, Dad's setting up the giant Christmas party again this year! You're not going to be able to just dip your toe into the Christmas spirit, there's so much more to experience!"

Chara still looked unimpressed.

"This is just your way of trying to get me into one of those stupid santa hats again, isn't it?"

"What? No!" Frisk looked around warily for a moment. "And don't say "stupid" and "Santa" in the same sentence, you know how much Dad loves dressing up this time of year. Look, you've made it clear how much of this stuff you find silly. All I want is to help you make this Christmas the best ever, okay?"

Chara looked suspiciously at her brother, who was desperately trying to look as innocent and angelic as possible. Finally she sighed and relented.

"Alright, we'll do the shopping. But there'd better not be any shenanigans going on here."

Frisk chuckled.

"Still love that word. Don't worry, this trip is going to be completely shenanigan free. Grab your stuff and meet me outside… we're going to the mall!"

 

Christmas was fast approaching, which meant that the mall was full of last-minute shoppers. Fortunately, Frisk knew well how to navigate the place, and Chara had been here a few times before, albeit back when she was a passenger in Frisk's body.

The siblings walked through the labyrinth of a shopping centre, their dodging prowess and fighting experience easily allowing them to keep from being trampled or overwhelmed by the hordes of people around them.

The central hub of the place was less crowded, a fact that Chara appreciated. She cast her gaze about for a moment, before going to a large sign that displayed all of the stores in the mall, and how to get to them. Frisk, however, quickly noticed a familiar pair and waved to greet them.

"Grillby! Muffet! What are you guys doing here?"

The small spider Monster waved back, and both she and the taller fire Monster made their way towards the two.

"Hello, dearie!" Muffet said, smiling brightly up at the boy. "Goodness, it has been a long time since I last saw you, hasn't it? You were about the same height as me last time!"

Frisk smiled.

"Well, it's not all that easy to go out and visit you, since you set your bakery so far up the mountain. I thought you'd been avoiding the cities…"

The spider sighed.

"I have. Humans have been less accepting of me and my poor spiders than some of the other Monsters. Still, my business has been gradually rising, and I've decided to start expanding into the cities. Grillby here was kind enough to show me around to pick out a good location for the shop." She covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. "Such a gentleman."

Grillby made no response, other the crackling of his flames.

"I didn't know you two knew each other." Frisk remarked.

"We've not met in person before." Muffet explained, "But Grillby has been ordering my pastries for years! When he offered to help me find a good spot to expand to, well, how could I pass up the opportunity to meet one of my best customers in person?"

Frisk laughed, shifting his stance to a more relaxed position.

"Have you managed to get more than two words out of him? I'm still not sure that I wasn't just imagining things when I heard him actually speak.

"He is very quiet..." Muffet smiled, her five eyes seeming to blink at random intervals. "But he will speak if he finds the need to. I must say it is refreshing to have someone I can chatter away to if I must."

"You must be doing very well for yourself if you're expanding into the city now," Frisk remarked.

Muffet pulled out a large purse from behind her, and her lowermost pair of arms rummaged in it for a moment, before she pulled out a small box of donuts.

"Care for a pastry?" She asked.

Frisk nodded eagerly, selecting a donut from the box and biting into it almost immediately.

"I've been having more business than ever before." Muffet explained as she watched the boy eat. "Even the Humans have been getting more and more comfortable with purchasing my pastries. Of course, not all of them have been so polite. A few days ago, some gentlemen barged into my bakery and demanded I shut it down."

"What did you do?" Frisk asked. Chara was approaching them now, listening in on their conversation.

Muffet let all her eyes blink in lazy synchronization, and gave a small smile.

"I thought you would know, dearie. You're eating one of them right now."

Frisk froze, crumbs of donut falling from his open mouth as he stared in horror at the half-eaten confection he held in his hand. Muffet began laughing, once again covering her mouth with one of her top arms as she did so.

"I'm only joking, dearie. You can relax, these are just the same as the ones you ate back in the Underground."

Chara let out a laugh, as Frisk visibly relaxed.

"That was amazing, Muffet." She congratulated. "The look on his face… that was priceless." She looked over at her brother, a grin spreading across her features. "You were right, Frisk. Going to the mall today was a great idea!"

"I'm sorry, dearie." Muffet said, examining the mechanical girl before her. "I don't believe we've met before?"

Chara knit her brows in confusion, looking down at the spider Monster before her expression cleared.

"Oh, right. Sorry, my name's Chara. I've, uhh… sort of met you before…" She trailed off and winced as an image of her knife tearing through the small woman's body flashed briefly in her mind.

"She means that she's heard us talk about you before." Frisk put in. "It feels like she's met you before is all."

"Oh, you must be Toriel and Asgore's daughter!" Muffet realized. "I heard about that...It's good to actually make your acquaintance!"

"Thanks." Chara managed, giving the woman a slightly strained smile. Frisk realized his sister was uncomfortable and quickly changed the subject.

"It was nice to see you again, Muffet, but Chara and I should probably get back to our shopping. We've still got a lot of stuff to do."

Muffet inclined her head slightly, smiling as she did so.

"Take care, dearies. Perhaps I will see you around sometime soon."

With that, both Grillby and Muffet walked away, leaving the siblings behind in the middle of the hub.

"You were looking at the list of stores over there…" Frisk prompted, drawing his sister's attention again. "Did you find anything you wanna check out right away?"

Chara blinked a couple times, then shook her head slightly to clear it.

"Uh, yeah… I think that the orange wing might be a good place to start…"

Frisk threw a glance over at the sign.

"Clothing, hardware and misc. I never got why miscellaneous was a category, but you're right, that is a good place to start. Come on, sis, let's get this train wreck a-rolling!"

 

They'd been browsing the various shops around for nearly twenty minutes now, Between the two of them they'd picked out a lovely light purple flowing dress for Toriel. Chara was glancing over a rack of shirts, when Frisk's phone rang. The robotic girl glanced over to him as he frowned and brought the device up to his ear.

"Hello?" He asked, then paused. His eyes widened.

"Oh, man! I totally forgot about that! Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes, just stay there!"

He put down the phone and glanced over at Chara, who was still watching him.

"I gotta go quick, I won't be too long though!" Frisk explained hurriedly, pushing his way out of the store. "Just keep going, I'm sure you'll find something!"

"Frisk, wait!"

But he was already gone. Chara ran out of the store, but her brother had disappeared in the masses of people everywhere, and she couldn't see him, not even with the zoom functions in her eyes. She blinked a couple of times, returning her vision to normal before rubbing at her forehead. She really hadn't gotten used to that function yet… the few times she'd tried it, it just gave her a headache.

She supposed she'd have to keep browsing by herself then, though she felt a bit silly doing it alone. She picked up the bag that held Toriel's dress and walked out of the store, jostling with the crowds where necessary.

She only walked a few steps before she saw it. Her eyes went wide as her gaze focused, everything around her fading into the background as she looked at the window display in the next store over.

She walked towards it, pushing past anyone in her way, never letting her eyes stray from her target. Finally, she was standing before it.

There was a mannequin standing sideways, presented so that both the front and the back of it's outfit were visible from the outside. It was wearing tight jeans, but Chara wasn't interested in those.

She was looking at the jacket.

A beautiful black leather jacket, glistening in the fluorescent light. It wasn't bulky, but sleek while still maintaining a dangerous air, aided in part by the three metal spikes protruding from each shoulder.

On the back, in flaming red and yellow letters were the words "Rising Phoenix" arching over the top, just under the shoulders. Beneath that, was the Phoenix itself, a flaming bird rising up towards the words framing it, it's wings spread wide.

She kept staring at it, using her vision features to pick out various details of the jacket and generally entranced by the thing. She'd never really been much for buying things; she was just getting used to the concept of needing anything for herself. The only thing she really considered hers was her locket, which she always wore over her shirt. But this…

"Sorry about that!" Frisk's voice snapped her out of her reverie, and she stumbled while turning to face him, trying to keep her composure. Her brother grinned at her sheepishly, brushing his brown locks out of his face and adjusting his red scarf.

"Do I even want to know what you were doing?" Chara asked, a little proud of herself for managing to slip so easily back into her rhythm even after staring like an idiot at that really awesome, cool, badass-

"Probably not… But I'm back now! Did you see anything you liked while I was gone?"

Chara hesitated for a moment, then shook her head slowly, clutching the bag with her mother's present in it a little tighter.

"No… not really."

Frisk looked slightly disappointed for a second, before he brightened.

"Well, don't worry, the present master is here to help! Come on, there's another store close by we should check out, should be some cool stuff that Dad might like!"

Frisk started walking quickly away, and Chara followed in his footsteps. She re-focused on the task at hand, and soon, all thoughts of that leather jacket had slipped from her mind.

Well… almost all.


	11. Christmas (Final)

Late afternoon on Christmas day, the city's Recreational Centre was packed fit to burst with holiday finery. Asgore and Toriel had once again reserved the largest room, comparable to a high school gymnasium, for the now-somewhat traditional massive Christmas party. Or as Sans called it, the "Monster Mash."

A large tree stood fully decorated in the middle of the room, the star at the top nearly brushing the ceiling, there were presents of various shapes and sizes scattered all about it. Christmas lights were strung up across all across the walls, flashing red, green and yellow, adding yet another festive layer to the room already packed with decorations.

Monster and Human alike milled about the place, most of them centered around the large tables set up on the right side of the room packed with various foodstuffs. The adults were mainly talking amongst themselves, while children played alongside them, every so often running back to the tree and rummaging through it, hoping to find a present with their name on it.

The idea behind the gift-giving here was simple. One could leave their gift under the tree for the recipient to find at their leisure, or they could give it directly to the intended. Chara had left most of her gifts at the base of the tree, but she held on to the small box holding Kid's gift. There was no way she was going to let it out of her sight, she was going to give it to Kid as soon as he arrived.

Unfortunately, the party had been in full swing for nearly an hour now, and there was no sign of the armless Monster. Frisk had assured her that he was going to be there, but now her brother had gone missing too. She huffed in frustration, her hand raising unconsciously to rub at the metal bars lining her jaw. Then she resumed walking around the room, her eyes scanning the place for any sign of Kid.

She recognized a few of the people around here; the dog pack was grouped together around several of the younger Humans, who were laughing and playing with them. Grillby was out near the tables overseeing Undyne having a drinking contest with some big, burly Human, and making sure that nothing got out of hand like it did last year.

The other fire elemental Monster she knew, a teenage girl made of green fire named Emerald, was at the edge of the room, giggling as she held hands with one of the seniors from the High School… Chara was pretty sure the guy's name was Steve. Monster and Human couples were not common… but there had been a few springing up in the past year or so. Chara made a note to keep an eye on that one, she knew Steve had been pretty accepting of Monsters, but she knew for a fact that he hung out with people who weren't as open-minded.

"Chara, is that you?" The voice caught the robotic girl's attention, and Chara looked around to spot 01 and 02 standing together not too far away from her, the bunny Monster waving at her. She rolled her eyes internally to see that they were both still wearing full battle armour.

"Hey guys." She said, abandoning her search for the time being. "I see you've both dressed for the occasion."

"What?" 01 asked, confusion in his voice. "But like… we always dress like-"

He stopped as the dragon Monster put a gauntleted hand on his shoulder and just looked at him. His partner stood there for a moment, then his ears stood up straight in understanding.

"Oh!" He realized.

Chara couldn't help but chuckle at the two.

"Do you guys ever take that armour off? I don't think I've ever seen you out of it."

"Uhh.. well yeah…" 01 replied, visibly sweating despite his full-face helmet. "Of course we do, but it's uh… it's-"

Chara raised her hands in a placating gesture.

"Say no more. I think I get the gist of it."

01 looked away, embarrassed, but a soft, hissing laugh emanated from behind 02's helmet. Chara frowned as she realized something.

"Hey guys, I've been meaning to ask you.. what are your real names? I'm assuming that 01 and 02 aren't your actual names…"

Surprisingly, this time it was 02 who spoke up.

"Of course… those numbers just represented our rankings in the Royal Guard. 01 here was like, the second-in-command after Undyne, and I'm one rank below him. When we got to the surface and became officers, we were still just under Miss Undyne, so we like, decided to keep it."

"So… what _are _your names?" Chara prompted.__

The two officers shared a glance. 

"It's uhh… personal." 01 mumbled. Chara sighed in response. 

"You forgot them, didn't you." 

"When we got up to our current rankings, everyone started calling us by our titles!" The rabbit Monster defended. "And like, we thought it was cool, so we didn't say anything. But after being called that for twenty years… we just sorta…" He trailed off sheepishly. 

Chara just shook her head. 

"Uhh… anyway, like, enjoy the party." 01 mumbled, turning away from her. Chara nodded to 02, and walked away. 

As she resumed her circling, she suddenly spotted the yellow-scaled Monster emerging from behind a door, nearly tripping over his own feet as he scampered in. Her first instinct was to walk towards him, relief flooding through her that he'd finally appeared. But she hesitated, her insecurities suddenly crashing back into her. 

There weren't a lot of others around where Kid had entered, and he was looking around, probably for her. She took a deep breath to calm herself and strode towards him. 

The boy's eyes lit up when he saw her, and a warm, tingling sensation filled her, knowing that she had elicited that reaction from him. 

"Yo! Chara!" He enthused, bouncing a little as she approached. "Sorry I'm late, I had to run all the way here, haha!" 

"You ran here from your place?" Chara questioned, impressed. 

"Yeah! I kept slipping up on the ice though. Good thing I lived in Snowdin for so long, otherwise it would have taken forever to get here!" 

Chara smiled at him, then slowly pulled the wrapped box away from her chest. 

"Here.. this is for you." 

Kid's eyes widened. 

"For me? Awesome!" He immediately sat himself down on the floor. "Pass it over! I wanna see it!" 

The boy's excitement did wonders for Chara's resolve, and she planted the gift at his feet. He used his teeth to tear open the wrapping with surprising skill, and gently nudged the box itself open with the tip of his snout. His eyes widened as he gazed inside. 

"Yo…" He breathed. "What is that?" 

Inside the box was a long, thin rectangular piece of metal. On one end it widened into a flat circle the size of Chara's fist, while it got thinner at the other end. Chara picked it out of the box and raised it for Kid's inspection. 

"I had Alphys make this for you… You told me once that you were fine with not having any arms, but some things are still difficult for you. So we made you this. Can I show you how it works?" 

Kid nodded eagerly. At his unspoken permission, Chara raised the piece of metal so that the circular end was just behind his ear-hole. She pressed it slightly against his smooth, dry scales, and it let out a soft hissing sound as it latched itself onto the side of his head. Kid gave a little surprised squeak at the contact, but otherwise managed to stay still and silent. 

Now the device was situated so that the metal piece went across the left side of his head, the thin end going just above his left eye. Kid blinked, his eyes looking up, trying to catch a better glimpse of the metal just at the edge of his vision. 

There was a sudden, quiet beeping sound, then a soft voice said; 

"Magical signature recognized. Activating systems, shutting down temporary AI." 

The thin part of the metal piece above Kid's left eye lit up, and then a beam of red light shone down, covering it. It quickly became a semi-transparent glow that just allowed Chara to see the boy's eye through it. While she only saw a red glow from it, she knew that he was seeing something else. 

"This visor works basically the same as a cell phone would." Chara began to explain to the dumbstruck boy. "Anything you can do on a phone, you can do on here, with some extra stuff installed I'm sure. Everything is synced to your eye movement, so you can open or select stuff by looking at it." She hesitated. "It might take some getting used to, but-" 

"Yoooo!" Kid cried out, leaping to his feet and crashing into Chara in an armless embrace. "That's so cool! This is the best present ever!" 

A wide grin spread across the girl's face as she returned the hug. It only lasted for a few moments though, before Kid wriggled out of it, looking at her with pure joy on his face, the left side of which was lit up from the light of his visor. 

"Yo, one sec! I left yours just outside, I'll go grab it!" 

He dashed off before she could say a word, leaving Chara staring after him as he disappeared through the door. She could feel her magic pulsing within her in anticipation. For some reason, she'd honestly not considered the idea that he might have gotten something for her as well. 

True to his word, it wasn't long before Kid raced back in, the handles of an overlong, heavy paper bag clenched in his teeth. 

He dropped it to the floor at Chara's feet, and the image of an overexcited puppy bringing something home to show it off inexplicably flashed through the girl's mind. 

"Yo! Here it is!" The boy suddenly looked slightly sheepish. "It's uh, not as cool as what you got me but… I hope you like it!" 

Chara reached down and pulled open the bag, her view of what was inside obstructed by more dull brown paper. She pulled the paper to the side, and she let out a startled gasp. 

No way. She reached trembling arms into the bag, and pulled out a leather jacket. Not just any jacket… _the_ jacket. Just as sleek and deadly looking as it had in the store window. She looked at Kid, who had an excited, but slightly nervous look on his face. 

She quickly slipped on the jacket over her shirt, the weight of the leather comforting as it settled on her shoulders. She rolled her shoulders and struck a pose for Kid. 

"Yo… you look so cool!" Kid enthused, bouncing up and down a little. She smiled at him before stepping forward and crushing him into another hug. 

"Thank you." She whispered. "This is… this… thank you." 

Kid just pressed himself closer against her, and she was certain that he was smiling too. She finally stepped back, ending the embrace and let out a little laugh. 

 

"C'mon… C'mon…" Frisk muttered, watching the two from where he stood next to the table, peering at them from around another group. 

"Buddy, I'm starting to think that you're taking a _little_ too much interest in your sister's relationship." Sans noted from where he leaned against the table, absently picking at various pastries spread across the white tablecloth. 

Frisk waved a hand at him vaguely. 

"This is what brothers do. Besides, I love 'em both, but Kid's clueless and my sister is hopeless. Someone's gotta nudge them, or they're never gonna get anywhere." 

"Whatever you say." 

Frisk looked back at the skeleton. 

"Sans, it's not working! Quick, deploy the secret weapon!" 

"Hate to break it to ya, pal." The skeleton replied. "But it's called a soul effect for a reason. It only works on things with souls. If I could just move objects around with my magic, I'd never get out of bed again." 

Frisk stared at him. 

"You could have told me that before! Why didn't you say anything?" 

The skeleton simply shrugged, and Frisk glared at him. 

"I didn't set this whole thing up for nothing! Sans, use the effect on me, I'll take it over there." 

Sans looked at him in surprise. 

"Buddy… you know Chara will kill you if you do that, right? Especially if she finds out how involved you've been in this…" 

"I said I was going to get them to kiss if it kills me, and I meant it!" Frisk replied. "Now are you gonna send me over there or not?" 

Sans sighed, and raised his hand, his eye glowing slightly. 

"Whelp, it's your funeral, bucko. I'll miss you a _skele-ton_." 

 

"Yo, this thing is so cool!" Kid enthused, standing next to Chara as his eyes moved side-to-side, indicating his usage of his new visor. "Makes me a little dizzy though… haha." 

"It might take a little getting used to…" Chara responded, her fingers caressing the spikes on her shoulders and idly wondering if she should see about trying to sharpen them. "There should be a way to switch between having it track your eye movements and just looking around normally, but I'm not sure what it is." 

"Hey Chara, you're all red now!" Kid chuckled, closing his right eye and staring at the girl just through his left. His grin widened as a synthetic laugh tore itself free from the robot's lips. 

There was a sudden jingling sound from above, and the two teens looked up to see Frisk hanging over them, his soul protruding slightly out of his chest and turned a deep blue color. In his hands, he was holding a small garland of mistletoe with a tiny bell attached. 

**Frisk, what the hell do you think you're doing?** Chara seethed at him via their telepathy. 

"Frisk? What are you doing up there?" Kid asked, almost echoing Chara's own words. 

"Just hanging around." the boy replied, grinning down at his sister, whose eyes were shining bright red now as she glared at him. 

"Hey, that's that plant that gets hung around a lot this time of year, right?" Kid continued, his gaze fixed on the garland in Frisk's hands. "Missing toe, or something, right?" 

"Mistletoe, but yeah, it is." Frisk corrected, his grin now threatening to split his face in half. 

"Yeah, that's the one!" Kid paused. "Uhh, hey Frisk, why does it get hung around at Christmas? I've noticed it around before, and I asked some Human boys about it one time but they just laughed and said I didn't have to worry about it." 

Chara looked at Kid in surprise, even as the calculating part of her mind made note to see if she could find those particular boys and set them straight. 

"Chara knows what it means, you should probably ask her." Frisk called down cheekily, unwittingly refocusing Chara's anger on himself. 

**You are so dead.** Chara promised as Kid turned his questioning gaze to her, his head cocked slightly to the side. 

_Kissing first. Killing later._ Frisk replied. 

"Chara?" Kid asked as the girl hesitated, torn between an actual desire to do as Frisk said… especially since Kid was doing that adorable head-tilt of his again, and the desire to use her brother's intestines to make balloon animals. 

"It's probably better if I show you." She replied at last, stepping in close to Kid. His eyes widened as she brought her face in close to his. 

"Ch...Chara?" 

One hand snaked around to the back of Kid's head, fingers wrapping around one of the spikes there. She reached her other arm behind her, palm open. With the hand on Kid's spike, she pulled him down towards her, her smooth lips meeting his scaly ones halfway. 

Kid let out a surprised, muffled squeak as they met, but did not resist. Chara closed her eyes, partly to savor the feelings suddenly surging through her, and partly to disguise the sudden glow in her right eye. 

She made a gesture with the hand behind her back, overriding Sans's soul effect on Frisk with her own. Then, she released the power, rewarded by a sudden yelp, swiftly followed by a thud. 

She pulled away slightly from the kiss, opening her eyes and looking at the reptile in front of her. The boy was breathing heavily, his eyes glazed over as he stared at her in wonder and disbelief. 

"Yo…" He managed. 

Chara smiled brightly at him, then turned to see Frisk curled up on the ground behind her. 

"Totally… worth it." The boy mumbled. "Ow." 

"You were right, Frisk." Chara told him, her smile never wavering.. "This _is_ the best Christmas ever!" 

**And so help me, if I ever find you meddling in my relationship again, They will never find your body.** She warned privately. She didn't wait for a response though, she turned back to Kid, her spirits soaring high. 

"You're probably hungry, especially if you ran all the way out here. Let's go grab something to eat… boyfriend." 

Between all the gifts she had gotten today, the jacket, Frisk's injury, the kiss, and the look on Kid's face as she said those words… she just couldn't couldn't choose a favorite. 


	12. Perfectly Imperfect

In the grey, formless void that was the Place Between, Gaster watched over his world. Everywhere one looked, the tiny pinpricks of light could be seen, each representing a world, a dimension, a plane of existence. But Gaster cared only for the one now.

Long ago, he had been responsible for watching over many such worlds, some similar, others very different. He wielded great power, and had been capable of doing far more than observing the realms under his command.

And yet, somehow, he preferred this. This one spark of light that he could focus all of his attention on, watching the mortals below in their everyday lives and struggles. He had little power to directly interfere anymore, but he was content.

"It is beautiful, is it not?" he asked quietly, smiling down at one large building in particular, watching Monsters and Humans celebrating together in harmony.

"Yes, it is."

Gaster turned slowly. He had not actually expected an answer to his question. His gaze fell upon a large glowing ball of bright white light, nearly as large as he himself was. Despite having no features, Gaster got the impression that it, too, was looking down at the world.

"Such beauty in life," the light continued. "The mortals experience it in a way we never will. Their flaws, their imperfections… their struggles and hardships. It all weaves together in a glorious tapestry that we could never create. The imperfections… are what make it perfect." The light was silent for a moment. "A truth that Exilus never comprehended."

"He no longer calls himself that," Gaster murmured, turning back to the world he protected.

"Yes. An indicator of how far he fell. The Defiler, one who would enslave all reality to his will, and mold it into his image. He saw reality as nothing more than his plaything, and the concept of free will…"

"Is infuriating to one who strives for perfection."

The light pulsed slightly in agreement.

"Yes."

The two watched in silence for a few moments, until Gaster finally spoke again.

"I did not think we would meet again."

"We had not intended such," the light admitted. "However, The Defiler finally overcame his pride, and conquered the last barriers that prevented him from retaking his power. We could not allow that."

"You broke your oath, then?" Gaster questioned.

"We were not to interfere with reality. But he was not part of the reality we created. And had he become one of us again, he would have destroyed everything beautiful of our creation. To not act would have been the the greatest betrayal of our vow."

"I heard his death-cry," Gaster admitted. "Though I feared it was a trick to catch me off guard. He is truly no more, then?"

The light bobbed up and down sadly.

"Yes."

Gaster was silent for a time, then spoke softly.

"He ever did mistake domination for power. Though I wish he could have been dissuaded from his folly."

"Not even we are above such fallacies. This is why we do not interfere with creation. Even if we were to do so with good intentions, we would be unable to keep from tainting it."

Gaster looked back to the light.

"If he has been destroyed, what became of the rest of the Exiled?"

The orb pulsed softly in slight amusement.

"They have been imprisoned… on a world they created, by the mortals they sought to enslave. We could not think of a more fitting punishment than this."

Gaster simply nodded, folding his hands beneath his robe, and continued to watch the light. He knew there was another reason his creator had come here, and he was content to wait until they told him why.

He did not have to wait long.

"Gaster," the being finally said. "There is great darkness in your future. If you remain here, the day will come when you are destroyed in defense of your world. We would give you the opportunity to avoid that fate.

"When we return to the edges of reality, we would take you with us. Long have you served us, and even longer have you watched over and protected our creation. You have earned your peace tenfold, and we would see that you receive it."

Gaster blinked, caught off guard by the light's proposal. He turned his attention back to the world below. He had never considered that he might one day return home, never thought he might be asked to do so.

He would still be able to watch over the world from there. He remembered the glittering tapestries that encompassed all of reality, all of creation. He would be surrounded by light, once again removed from the cares and burdens he had been carrying for so long. He would no longer be alone.

If the husk of his former master no longer threatened his world, would it not be safe for him to leave? He turned back to the being that awaited his response.

"If I fall defending this world… that means there will be something that threatens it again in the future. I cannot leave them alone to face that. If I must sacrifice myself to keep them safe, then so be it."

The light emitted a small hum of approval.

"Ever do you exceed our expectations of you, Gaster. We would have you know, we delight in your actions, and take pride in your accomplishments."

Gaster inclined his head respectfully.

"Thank you, but… I have only done as you created me to do. There is no need-"

"Gaster," the light interrupted softly. "Do not believe that your decisions, your actions, have had no consequence. We gave you life, you chose what to do with it. You chose to live up to your potential, and exceed it, just as Exilus chose to throw everything away for the sake of temporary power. We did not write the script… we merely set the stage."

"You honor me," Gaster murmured in response.

The light turned its attention back to the world.

"A piece of his soul still remains here."

Gaster focussed his attention on where the light was looking, and saw Chara, the robotic girl with one leather-wrapped arm draped around the newly-visored Kid's shoulders. The girl whispered something into the reptile's ear-hole, and they both snickered.

"Without him, she is no different than any other mortal." Gaster replied. "She is as much a part of this world as those who were born here. In death, Exilus has given the fragments of his soul a new, and better life."

The warm glow of the floating orb pulsed slowly in silent agreement.

"Despire his wish to destroy, he could not help but to create. A warning, we think. But for who?"

"A warning, a lesson, a hope. It is incredible how one thing can mean so much more than first glance," Gaster smiled. "Is that not what you taught me?"

"Yes." The light was quiet for a moment, then said;

"Gaster, before we go, we have one more thing we must tell you." The light seemed to fade slightly for a moment as Gaster turned back towards it, then it spoke quietly.

"One day, a child who is both Human and Monster will come to your world. When that day comes, give them this message..."


	13. Mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update was late. Hopefully it'll be worth it.

“You know, Undyne, you’re gonna wear a groove in the carpet if you keep pacing like that.”

Undyne gave an irritated snarl, not breaking stride. 

Frisk gave an amused snort in response, adjusting his position on the stairs in an attempt at comfort. 

There were only a few other people in Asgore and Toriel’s living room. The former king sat on the couch, watching Undyne with a smile of soft amusement, and Chara lounged in one of the reading chairs across the room. Between them, Mettaton leaned against the wall, grinning.

“You should really sit down,” Asgore suggested. “Pacing won’t help the delivery go any faster.”

“I should be in there!” Undyne snapped, glancing at the closed door next to the couch that led to the guest room. Muffled grunts and cries could be heard, and the warrior’s ear fins twitched unconsciously with each one, her magic crackling around her hands on instinct. 

“Yeah, I see no way that could go badly,” Chara said in sarcastic synthetic tones. “Mom knows what she’s doing, just let her do her thing.”

“Chara has a point, darling,” Mettaton remarked. “You’ll have plenty of time to be a bad role model for the little one growing up. Might as well let the little darling have a few moments of peace and quiet before you barge in.”

“And what the hell’s that supposed to mean?” Undyne froze, and glared at the glamorous robot, who merely smirked in response. Though that smirk strained quickly when a spear appeared in the warrior’s hand.

“Now now, there is no need for that, from either of you.” Asgore rumbled, standing swiftly his gaze fixed on Undyne. “Let’s keep everything calm for when the little one comes into the world, shall we? Undyne, have you and Alphys decided on a name for him yet?”

The fish-warrior hesitated for a moment, allowing the spear to fade out of existence. Then she turned her attention to her former king. 

“We narrowed it down to a couple names… Alphys wanted to wait until we see him before we decided on anything for certain.” Undyne winced as a shriek tore through the house, and four spears instantly appeared behind her, crackling with energy.

“Undyne…” Asgore warned, taking a step towards her.

“She needs me in there!” Undyne snarled, glaring at Asgore and refusing to let go of her magic. “I can’t just stand here and listen to this! I’ve gotta help somehow!”

“I know it sucks not to be able to help, but you should really just let Mom do her thing.” Frisk said, his tone compassionate.

“It’ll be over soon, Undyne,” Asgore added, gently. “Trust me, Tori’s got some experience in this area. Now why don’t you sit down, and I’ll go make some tea for in the meantime.”

Undyne growled in response, walking over and leaning against the wall opposite Mettaton instead, dismissing her spears with a harsh gesture as she looked away from the others. 

Asgore sighed, smiling sadly at her before disappearing into the kitchen. Frisk looked nervously after her, hoping that the delivery wouldn’t take much longer. He wasn’t sure how much longer Undyne would be able to keep herself under control.

“So, Undyne,” he asked, hoping to distract the warrior. “What kind of magic do you think your son’s gonna have?”

Undyne shrugged.

“It’s hard to tell. Since Alphy’s having him, he’ll probably take more after her than me. But, I’m a hybrid Monster, so I dunno what traits he’s gonna end up with.” She perked slightly. “But he’s gonna be awesome, no matter what! I can’t wait to find out what surprises he’s got for us!”

“You may regret saying that later,” Mettaton chuckled.

“Wait, a hybrid Monster?” Frisk asked. “What’s that mean?”

Undyne looked over to the teen in surprise.

“Hang on, you’ve been hanging around Monsters for over three years! How do you not know what a hybrid is?”

“I think you’re overestimating my brother just a bit, Undyne,” Chara said wryly. “If it’s not wearing a skirt, he’s not interested enough to pay attention to it.”

“Hey!”

Undyne barked a laugh at that, seeming to relax a little, much to the relief of the others.

“Any Monsters can have kids together, right?” She explained. “We’re not restricted by the same dumb boundaries you Humans have. Neither of my parents were the same type of Monster… hell, neither of them were fish Monsters either!”

“Really?” Chara asked in surprise. “Then, what were they?”

“Tra la la,” 

Everyone started in surprise as a voice echoed throughout the house. “What does a fish love more than anything else?”

From the door leading into the dining room, a familiar figure, completely swathed in dark blue robes entered the living room. Frisk had never seen the River Person move before; the figure seemed to glide over the floor rather than walk, leaving a damp trail in her wake. 

Undyne’s eye widened in in disbelief.

“Mom?”

The other occupants of the room looked at each other in surprise, then back to Undyne.

“Mom?!?” They chorused, almost in perfect unison. 

Undyne ignored them, her gaze fixed on the River Person.

“Mom… what are you doing here? You never leave the water!”

Undyne’s mother halted in the middle of the living room, and turned her head to face each individual there. Even when she gazed directly at Frisk, the boy was unable to make out anything beneath the hood, though not for lack for trying.

Finally, her gaze settled on Undyne. 

“Tra la la, death keeps me home, but I will leave it this once, to celebrate life.”

The fish-warrior’s eye widened and her gaze flicked towards the door to the spare room before going back to the robed figure. Without warning, she leapt forward, all but tackling the Monster before her in an embrace.

“I know it’s hard for you leave the water.” Undyne’s voice was soft, barely audible to the two robots and the Human who still occupied the room. “So… thank you.”

Frisk’s view of the River Person was blocked by Undyne, but his eyes widened as an arm snaked around Undyne’s torso from the left side, returning the fish-woman’s embrace. The arm seemed to be completely comprised of water, constantly flowing and shifting, but maintaining its form regardless.

The arm disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and Frisk barely caught a glimpse of it sliding back behind the robe, and he was unable to see anything else beneath it. 

“Wow…. can’t say I was expecting this,” Chara stated, as Undyne stepped away from her mother, turning slightly so the others could see the smile gracing her features. 

Before anyone else could say anything, Asgore stepped back into the living room, carrying a tray with a teapot and several cups on it. He paused when he noticed the new addition.

“Ah… Charon, wasn’t it? I did not hear you come in,” the former king grinned. “Though I suppose I should not be surprised. Would you like some tea?”

“I would, thank you,” Charon’s musical voice took on a polite tone while she dipped her head respectfully. “It has been a long time, your Majesty.”

“Oh no, please,” Asgore protested, removing a hand from his tray and waving it as he resumed walking towards the couch. “Just Asgore is fine. I’m not a king anymore, and I’m more than happy with that.”

“Very well… Asgore.”

“Hang on a minute.” Frisk spoke up,folding his arms over his chest and looking sternly around the room. “You guys know each other?”

“Hah! You kidding me?” Unydne snorted while Asgore began distributing the tea. “This guy knew everybody in the Underground!”

“It is a little harder to keep up now that Monsters have begun spreading out, but… yes,” Asgore admitted, a hint of pride in his voice.

“If there was one thing Asgore was good at while ruling the Underground, it was keeping in touch with the people.” Mettaton smirked. 

“An important part of being a leader is to know your people. It is an act I fear many leaders we deal with on the surface seem to have forgotten.”

“You can say that again,” Chara muttered. 

“We’re getting off topic here,” Frisk interjected. “Undyne, how come I never knew that the River Person was your mom? Or that her name was Charon?”

“To be fair, you’re not the only one kept in the dark about that,” Mettaton mentioned, raising an elegant brow. “I had no idea either.”

“You lived like, ten feet away from Undyne!” Chara spoke up, her voice incredulous. “How did you not know?”

“She lived alone when she moved out there,” Mettaton explained. “And she didn’t really interact with me then anyway.”

“You saw that house, did it _look_ like it could hold an entire family?” Undyne questioned. “Not likely! I grew up on the other side of Onionsan’s lake. Though, there was more than just him there back then.”

“Such a nice boy…” Charon muttered, her arm momentarily flashing out at surprising speed to take a teacup from Asgore, disappearing back under her robe before anyone could focus on it.

“You’re not answering the question!” Frisk complained. “You can’t just introduce all this stuff and then not-”

The teen was cut off as Undyne suddenly froze, her ear fins twitching. The group fell silent, realizing that the noises from the other room had stopped. Everyone turned to stare at the wooden door.

And then…

New cries could be heard; the sound of a child crying. 

On hearing it, Undyne began to tremble slightly, taking a hesitant step towards the door. She cringed as it slowly opened, revealing Toriel in the doorway.

The Boss Monster wore a tired smile on her face, and her gaze first lit upon Undyne. She stepped to the side, and gestured into the room.

The fish woman needed no other invitation. She bolted into the room, her drink forgotten on the coffee table. The others quickly followed, Charon following her daughter into the room while the others crowded around the doorframe to peer inside.

They were only able to catch a few quick glances before Toriel shooed them away, much to Frisk’s dismay. His protests were were quickly cut off as the female Boss Monster closed the door behind her, leaving the three women alone in the room.

Undyne knelt beside Alphys where she lay on the queen-sized bed, her back supported by several large pillows as she cradled a baby in her arms. Charon stopped a few feet away from her daughter, watching the scene unfold.

The boy was still crying, but softer since Undyne appeared. Hesitantly, the fish-woman reached out a hand, her fingers delicately brushing against the dark green scales on the infant’s arm.

Immediately, the cries ceased, and the child turned his head towards Undyne, large brown eyes with slitted pupils staring up at her.

“He looks just like you.” Undyne managed, turning her attention to Alphys, who was smiling gently at the two. 

“Well, other than the eyes.. And the green scales,” Alphys corrected, her tone soft and filled with awe. “But… yes.”

“Can… can I…?”

“Of course.” Alphys gently held the baby out to Undyne, who took him, cradling him against her chest. At her touch, the child squeaked and reached his tiny hands up towards her face, his hands sporadically clenching and unclenching. 

“He’s so beautiful.” Undyne’s voice choked, her gaze transfixed on her son, even as her eye glistened with unshed tears. 

“He reminds me of your father.” Charon murmured, her voice so low that Undyne could barely hear her. She dragged her eye from the child in her arms to look to her mother, whose head was bowed slightly in memory.

“Hah… I musta got it from you, huh?” Undyne grinned, not noticing a tear that escaped to slide down her scaled cheek. “Guess we both ended up falling gor reptiles, huh?”

A soft laugh like waves lapping at the shore emanated from beneath the hood. 

“Take good care of them both, won’t you?” 

“Always,” Undyne declared, holding her son a little closer to her, though she was careful not to squeeze him too much, one hand absently stroking at the boy’s crest. 

“So?” Alphys asked from the bed. “What do you think we should call him?” 

Undyne grinned down at the child in her arms, then got onto the bed, settling down beside her wife and putting an arm around her, pulling her close so that their son was nestled between them, much to his delight, if the burbling noises he made were any indication.

“I dunno. What do you think, squirt?”

“Undyne…” Alphys giggled as their child stared up at them, his eyes wide, and his pupils dilating from slits, to orbs and back again. “He’s not going to be able to name himself!”

“Why not? He’s our kid, isn’t he? He can do anything!”

That earned her another laugh from the yellow reptile, then her tail slipped out from under the covers, brushing up against the infant’s leg. 

“I like “Alexander”,” she said suddenly, while the boy’s attention was diverted by this new experience;, his own stubby tail twitching as if in response to his mother’s appendage. 

“Alexander, huh?”

Alphys bit her lip and nodded. Undyne allowed her grin to widen in response.

“Yeah… I like it. You hear that, little guy? You got a name now, and the best parents you could hope to have!” She reached out, gathering up the little one in her arms, before settling back beside Alphys.Then she directed her attention over to her own mother.

“You know, you can come say hi, he won’t bite.” The warrior chuckled. “Not yet, anyways.”

“I can see him just fine from here,” Charon replied quietly.

Undyne sighed with a sympathetic smile, her ear fins drooping just slightly. “I understand, Mom. Not now, but…” Her smile brightened. “How about I bring him to visit sometime? Then his awesome Grandma can give him a ride on the lake,” she suggested, her smile turning into a knowing smirk.

The hooded figure was quiet, looking away briefly, before turning back to her daughter. “...I’d like that,” she replied softly.

“You better,” Undyne teased. “Cause I would have brought him anyways.”

Alphys snorted. “Of course you would.”

“What? Look at him, he’s ours, and he needs to be loved by everyone. Including his Grandma.”

Alphys just shook her head in amusement, then reached for the infant, and Undyne passed the boy to her.

“Alexander,” She said, her voice full of tenderness and her soul full of love. “Welcome to our family. Welcome home.”


	14. Dadstablook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a ton of fun to write.

Napstablook hovered before his computer desk, putting the finishing touches on his latest song before closing the app. The room he was in was mostly barren, save for the desk and computer it held. The ghost didn't own much, but he had enough to keep him happy, and that was good enough for him.

There was a buzzing noise from his computer, and in the middle of the screen, the ghost's videochat opened, revealing a picture of Mettaton striking a dramatic pose. Napstablook hesitated for a moment, then moved his mouse over to click on it.

The video quickly displayed Mettaton sitting in his dressing room, running a comb through his black hair. There was quite a bit of clutter around him, with various costumes and props discarded throughout the room, though the large mirror behind him and the space around it was pristine. Napstablook could hear various background sounds of people talking and moving things, but they were fairly muffled.

"There you are, Blooky!" Mettaton enthused, giving his cousin a wide smile. "It feels like it's been ages since we last talked."

"H-hi, Mettaton," The ghost said quietly, "How's the tour going?"

"Oh, it's fabulous as always. I finished putting the lyrics onto the last song you sent me, and the audience went absolutely wild! You just keep getting better and better, Cuz." The glamorous robot smiled. "I still like the Ex song best, though."

"I can't believe you still use that song as your theme…" Napstablook mumbled, going slightly transparent in embarrassment.

"Of course I do! It's wonderful! You know you're good at what you do, Blooky. As they say, 'If you've got it, flaunt it!'"

"You know that's not really my thing, Mettaton…."

The robot sighed, putting the comb down beside him.

"I know, Blooky. That's what I'm here for; I'll flaunt your stuff until the whole world knows how amazing my cousin is!"

"Oh no... " The ghost was now barely visible, just a faint outline in front of his computer screen.

"Blooky, you're fading on me again," Mettaton chided.

It took a couple moments, But Napstablook finally managed to fade back in, becoming visible once again.

"That's better. Now tell me how you've been doing! Since you stopped touring with Shy and I, I don't hear from you much, except when you send me new songs." A wide grin split Mettaton's face, the corners of his lips just missing the metal bars accenting his cheekbones.

"How's your son doing?"

"Oh no… you know he's not my son…" Blooky murmured, beginning to fade again.

"Of course not, you just keep the place clean, make sure he has food to eat, listen when he talks… none of the typical parent things. Have you told him that you're there yet?"

"No…" Napstablook mumbled. "He still thinks his parents are alive… He'd just be upset if he knew I was there… Oh no… and then he'd be mad at me… oh no…"

"Calm down, Cuz," Mettaton said gently. "You're overthinking things again. I've met Kid before, and there's no way that he'd be angry at you just for taking care of him." The robot huffed. "But, if you don't want to do it yet, I suppose I can't force you. Seriously, though, it was very kind of you to come and help the poor boy like this."

"Well... the Monsters who were taking care of him kept moving away…" Napstablook said quietly. "And I couldn't just leave him all by himself…"

"Of course not, but I'm still proud that you did it. Are you still living in the attic?"

"Yeah... he can't get up here… and I don't really have a lot of stuff anyways…"

"I know... " Mettaton chuckled. "All you really need is a computer and some decent speakers, and you're good to go." He paused for a moment, as if thinking, then asked,

"So… how is your charge doing these days?"

Napstablook was quiet for a moment before responding.

"I think he's been doing okay… he's been happier ever since he started dating Chara…"

Mettaton let out an undignified squeal.

"You didn't tell me about that!"

"Oh no… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to forget about it…"

The robot waved a hand absently, dismissing his cousin's apology.

"It's fine, but-" He stopped, and the ghost Monster heard another voice. He couldn't make out what it was saying, but it sounded fairly demanding. Mettaton turned towards the voice, irritation on his face.

"I am in the middle of a call with my cousin, what do you-" The voice spoke up again, more insistent this time, and Mettaton paused for a moment.

"What, already? I thought it wasn't coming in until next week!" The robot sighed. "Oh, very well. I'll be down in a moment." He turned back to Napstablook, a wry expression on his face.

"Sorry about that, Blooky, looks like I'm going to have to cut this short. I can never seem to get a moment's peace in this place. But I'm going to be coming back in a couple weeks once this tour is over, and I expect to see you around then, you hear?"

"Oh… okay… Bye, Mettaton."

"Later, Cuz!"

The videochat went dark as the robot left, leaving the ghost alone in the attic. He stared at the screen for a few moments, before checking the time. Kid would probably be home soon, he should probably get some food ready for the boy.

He floated away from the computer, and passed through the floor of the attic and into the rest of the house. It was a fairly large house, considering only two people lived in it, and one of them in the attic. Still, it was easy to keep in good condition, especially since Kid was generally at school or out somewhere these days, and that meant he had plenty of time to work on his music without fear of being overheard.

Napstablook's thoughts travelled back to Mettaton. He had to admit, it had been fun to tour with his cousin for a while, but the amount of attention being thrown at him had quickly overwhelmed the shy ghost. That was when he'd found out about Kid's situation and decided to help. Mettaton had been disappointed of course, but had made a serious effort to keep in touch with him. It felt good to know the robot wasn't going to abandon him again.

Napstablook phased through the wall into the empty kitchen, quietly humming a tune to himself. He floated over to the fridge door, opening it to stare at the contents inside. After a few moments, he selected some of the chicken from the night before and hovered it over to the oven, putting it inside and turning the heat to low. It was already cooked, of course, but he wanted to make sure it was warm for Kid when he got home.

The ghost spent the next few minutes checking to make sure everything was in order. The house was furnished just enough to make it seem lived in, but other than the boy's room and the attic, only the kitchen and the living room were used much.

There was a loud thumping noise, and then the sound of clawed feet tapping against hardwood floor. Napstablook immediately turned transparent, though he remained in the living room, waiting.

"Yo! I'm home!" Kid called out, as he always did. There were a few minutes of silence, then; "I guess I missed you guys again. That's okay though, haha."

There was a pause, and the ghost could hear Kid walk into the kitchen. He followed, and soon witnessed the boy pull open the oven with his teeth and glance around inside.

"Nice, chicken! You guys are the best." He pulled out the pan with his teeth and placed it on top of the oven, not seeming to be adversely affected by the heat at all. He leaned forward and turned off the heat with his muzzle. Then he gripped the pan in his mouth again before scampering over to the couch in the living room.

Napstablook followed, watching as the boy, nestled himself into the old, brown couch, supporting his back against the armrests at the sides. He looked down for a few moments, the red glow from his visor lighting up the left side of his face.

"School was same as always," he finally said, tentatively digging into his food as he spoke. "But I asked Chara, and she said I can come to the Human-Monster relations meeting this weekend. You guys are okay with that, right?"

Of course, there was no answer, and after a moment he continued.

"It might be fun to see what it's like, you know? But it'll be best to spend some more time with her..." He took on a slightly worried expression. "She's been really tired recently, she always says it's nothing, and then smiles at me but… I dunno. We haven't done any training since Christmas. The last time we did it, she stopped halfway through and started staring at her hands."

He chewed on his lip.

"After that, she just wanted to cuddle for a while. Not that I minded," he added quickly. "But it's… not really like her. I wish you guys were around more… I want to help, but I don't know what to do."

Napstablook watched sadly as the boy finished the rest of his meal in silence. He felt bad for Kid, but he didn't know how he could help more than he already was.

Kid licked the last of the grease from his lips, then sighed and shifted the cushions, causing the remote to fall to the floor where his claws could access it. He pressed a button, and the TV sprang to life as he settled back further into the couch.

 

Napstablook waited for a few minutes after the boy went to bed before following after him, fading himself so that he wouldn't be seen if Kid was still awake. He phased through the closed door into the boy's room.

There wasn't much in there, other than the bed and an open wardrobe. There were a few books and comics scattered about the carpeted floor, and a side-table beside his bed with a lamp on it.

Kid was lying in the middle of his bed, already snoring softly into his pillow. In the few minutes he'd been in here, his sheets and blankets were already a tangled mess around him. Napstablook silently hovered over to his charge, and tentatively reached out with his magic, untangling the sleeping boy from the sheets and pulling them up to cover him properly.

As he pulled up the final blanket to Kid's chin, the boy twitched in his sleep, his lips moving up into a small smile.

"Thanks, Dad," he murmured, eyes still closed.

"Ohhhh…." Napstablook floated hurriedly out of the room, trying to become even more transparent.

If anyone could see him, however, they would note a small, happy smile forming, just for a moment, under the ghost's eyes.


	15. Nightmare

Chara sat straight up in bed with a small cry. She blinked a couple times, letting her vision adjust to the darkness of the surrounding room. Then she let out a whimper and put her head in her hands.

Not again. Not… not that dream again. Ever since Christmas, she had been having vivid nightmares, and they were only getting worse. She gave a violent shudder as the details from her dream came unbidden to her mind.

As happened every time, she had been in the Underground, once again in Frisk's body. Once again she clutched a knife in her hands, and once more she carved her way through the Underground until dust coated her like a second skin. Toriel, Papyrus, Undyne, and everyone in between. She had watched Undyne melt and turn to dust on the bridge.

Then, things changed. Instead of heading on to Hotland, she had gone back into Waterfall. After just a short walk, she found Kid desperately trying to pick himself up, obviously having tripped just before she arrived. At the sound of her approach, he had rolled over onto his back, terror gripping his features as he saw her. He desperately inched his way back until his back hit a wall.

"Wait, Chara!" he pleaded. "Don't kill me! I thought you… I thought we…"

He let out a cry and the knife plunged down.

That was where she woke up. That was where she always woke up, ever since the dream had started taking that darker turn. But not this time.

This time, she only let the tip of her blade pierce him, taking out a chunk of his life-force without killing him instantly, allowing her to stab again and again while he screamed and writhed beneath her. Until the screams stopped, and her hands and blade were once again coated in-

Her shoulders shook as she began crying into her hands. In the last timeline, he had gotten away! She'd never hit him before! Why…. why him?

It had been weeks since she had had a full battery. She was terrified of going to sleep, and what little she managed to get was anything but restful. She'd been forced to rely on her own magic to power her body most of the time, leaving her drained and disheveled.

She had caused so much harm. What if something like that happened again? She had hurt her friends, her family, everyone who ever cared about her. If it wasn't for Sans and Frisk, there would have been no going back for her.

She couldn't go on like this. She needed to talk to someone, she needed to do… something. But her options were limited. Almost nobody knew about the other timelines and… she couldn't tell them. Not what she'd done. Not what she'd nearly become. That only left…

Hesitantly, she closed her eyes, then internally pulled up her contacts list. He would probably be asleep right now, but she would try him anyway. She wasn't sure if she was trying to put it off, or if she was just desperate.

-You awake?- she texted Sans.

She was surprised with the skeleton's nearly instantaneous response.

-Yep. A little surprising, I know. What about you? Can't sleep?-

Chara hesitated before sending her reply.

-Yeah.-

-Wanna get something off your chest?-

Damn skeleton, always knowing too much for his own good.

-... Yeah.-

-Why don't you come meet up with me then? It's a nice night out.-

-Where are you?- She asked, slowly getting out of bed, throwing the blankets to the side.

-I'm outside your house.-

The mechanical girl threw a look out the window, and saw Sans waving at her from the snow-covered street below, his permanent grin more cheeky than usual, and she gave him a half-hearted glare.

Doubt surged into her mind as she crept out of the room, tip-toeing down the carpeted hallway, past both Frisk's and her parent's rooms. She hadn't really expected him to reply. True, she had been on good terms with the skeleton for a while now, but…

No. She mentally quashed her hesitation. Out of anyone, he might have a way to make the nightmares stop. She would do anything not to have to see that again. Especially now…

Visions of her dream rose again in her mind's eye. She made it to the door, barely choking back a sob as she did so, tears threatening once more to spill from her eyes. Chara brushed them away with a hand, then paused at the door, taking stock of the long white tank-top and tattered slacks she wore to bed. Then she shrugged, not really caring, and stepped outside.

The soft yellow light of the streetlamps caused the snow piled up around the place to glow, almost appearing warm in the light. She could tell it was fairly cold, but it didn't adversely affect her, another perk of her robot body.

As she stood there, Sans turned around the corner of the house and stepped into view, his slipper-clad feet sinking into the snow with soft squelching noises. Both his hands were in his pockets and he spared Chara a quick glance before removing one hand and gesturing to her.

"C'mon, let's take a walk."

Chara shrugged and followed after him, and they walked together in silence for a while, the only sounds the crunching of snow underfoot. Finally, Sans spoke.

"Gotta admit, I'm impressed. I thought you'd have cracked way earlier than this. You must be pretty resilient… or you _really_ don't like asking for help."

Chara stared at the short skeleton in shock.

"You… you knew?"

"Heh. I know what having nightmares looks like. You did a pretty good job of keeping it to yourself at first, but… they've been happening every night, haven't they? You don't need to say anything, your face says it all." Sans chuckled. "Glad you finally sent that text, I was getting tired of staying up waiting for it."

"What made you think I was going to come to you first?" Chara's brows knit.

Sans stopped abruptly, and turned completely to face her.

"That's a good question," he said slowly. "Why would you come to me? I mean, you've got your parents, you've got Kid… Seems I shouldn't be that high on your list. Unless… you've been having nightmares about something you don't want them to know about."

Chara lowered her head, unable to look into the skeleton's sockets any longer.

"How did you-"

"I didn't… not for certain anyways. But, uh… out of all the things that could be keeping you up at night, well… that was the obvious one."

Sans fell silent, waiting for her to speak while Chara tried in vain to compose herself. Of course he knew. Despite his laid-back demeanor, he paid close attention to everything that happened around him.

"Every night," she found herself saying, her synthetic tones shaking as she spoke. "The same dream. Over and over. I carve through half of the Underground before…" she choked on the words, falling silent for a moment before barely managing to say;

"Kid…"

Her shoulders were trembling now, and despite her attempts to keep them at bay, tears rolled down her porcelain face, their travel slowing as they began to freeze. She held her hands in front of her, sporadically clenching and unclenching them again.

"I never hurt him before," Chara managed at last. "What if… I.."

"Chara." Sans's tone was difficult to read, and the robotic girl looked up to see him staring down the lit street. Snow began to slowly fall from the sky, the flakes lazily dancing and twirling in the slight breeze that had picked up as they stood there.

"We both know what you've done," he continued. "I didn't think you could be anything else, didn't think that there was any cure for you except for death. I was wrong." He turned his gaze back to her. "If I thought there was any chance you were still like that, I would have already killed you, rather than risk you falling back into your old ways.

"The fact that you're haunted by these nightmares tells me that you've really changed. You feel guilty about what you've done, I can see it in your eyes. And that's good."

He took a step towards her.

"You _should_ feel guilty about that. You were a merciless killer, slaughtering indiscriminately. Just because you got a second chance, well. It doesn't make all that go away."

Chara's gaze had dropped again, and she was trembling under the skeleton's verbal barrage. He was right. What she had done was unforgivable. She didn't deserve a second chance, didn't-

"But." Sans's tone was gentler now, though Chara still didn't look up.

"You remember what I said to you, when I faced you down in the Judgement Hall?"

"You said a lot of things…" Chara replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you think even the worst person can change?" Sans quoted. "That anyone can be a good person, if they just try? Heh. I admit, I wasn't expecting much from you. But you _did_ change. You're not that person anymore. You have friends and family… people who care about you. I don't think the person you were was capable of any of that."

Chara finally managed to bring herself to look back at Sans, who was still watching her, though his gaze seemed gentle. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it, not sure what she could say to him.

"Remember what you were. Don't ever forget. But don't let it destroy you, either. Learn from it. And do better." His smile seemed to widen for a moment. "Shouldn't be too hard, right? You seem to be managing pretty well so far."

Chara nodded slowly. Though the memory of her nightmare still clung to her, she had to admit she felt a little better for getting some of that off of her chest. Still…

"Alright Sans," she spoke, her synthetic tones low. "I'll try, but… could you do me a favor? If I start to fall… If I become that again… you'll stop me, right?"

"Of course," the skeleton replied solemnly. Then his tone lightened. "Heh. Just like old times, right?"

Chara gave a disbelieving snort.

"Only you would joke about something like that."

"Well, we just had a serious discussion that ended in a kind of reverse death-threat. Figured I needed to lighten the mood, I still gotta get home after this. Kinda hard to move with that whole heavy atmosphere thing."

"You're insufferable."

Sans winked at her.

"Kinda my thing, kiddo. C'mon, let's get you back home before Tori checks on your room and has a panic attack. Don't want to make this any more complicated than it needs to be, right?"

Sans reached out a hand to Chara, and she took it after a moment's hesitation, closing her eyes in an effort to combat the queasiness that ever accompanied Sans's shortcuts.

When she opened her eyes again, they were standing outside her home. Sans pulled his hand back and put it in his pocket, before turning and silently walking away, disappearing around the corner, Chara watching after him.

When he vanished from sight, she took a shaky breath, and entered the house, drying her feet off on the doormat. It wasn't going to fix everything… perhaps it never would. But if she remembered what she was, maybe she would be able to keep from becoming that again.

Maybe it would be enough.


	16. Threats and Punch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note that tomorrow's chapter will be late, but there will, in fact, still be an update.

"You paint a pretty picture, Ambassador," the fat, well-dressed man in front of Chara mopped his brow with a handkerchief before frowning at the robot. "But some of us must deal with reality, which is far more dire than you make it out to be."

Chara raised an eyebrow at him, shifting her stance and folding her arms in front of her chest, still unused to the sensation of her metal limbs against the fabric of the black suit she wore. She had to stop herself from adjusting the deep red tie around her neck, hanging over a red vest and white dress shirt underneath.

Normally, she would never wear anything like this. However, with her role as ambassador, she was required to be more formal than usual at these Human/Monster relations meetings. She tuned out the noise and crowds around her, focusing on her victim.

"A dire reality, is it?" Chara asked, somehow managing to keep her amusement out of her synthetic tones at the man's bluster. "And what exactly would that be?"

"You say that Monsters have been nothing but a benefit to society, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our reports say that nearly every community that Monsters have joined has deteriorated at an alarming rate."

The man grinned at her, small, beady eyes bright as they watched. Chara allowed a small smile to caress her features. She was going to enjoy breaking him.

"I have to wonder where you receive this information, Senator." The mechanical girl practically purred. "By my reports, wherever Monsters have settled, they have been nothing but model citizens."

"With all due respect, I believe your reports to be faulty." The Senator replied smugly, producing a few folded up papers from his suit pocket. "According to these documents, wherever the Monsters go, chaos spreads with them. Look," He handed the papers to Chara, who took them, unfolding them and scanning them as the man continued. "In every attempt at integration, the crime rate in the district has skyrocketed. Surely you recognize the pattern."

"You do have a point, Senator," Chara admitted, glancing up from the papers. "Though I'm afraid that it is not the one you are trying to make."

"What do you mean?"

Chara reached into her own suit pocket, producing another folded up piece of paper and absently waving it at him.

"Let's ignore the fact that you just handed me forged documents, for now, and focus on the accuracies you did make," she let the document that had been given to her fall to the floor and continued before the fat man had time to collect himself. "You're right, there are certain districts that have suffered disturbances since Monsters arrived, and indeed, because Monsters arrived. However, what you left out is the fact that all of these disturbances were perpetrated by Humans. Every. Single. One."

"But the provocations-"

"There is no provocation. These are nothing more than hate crimes, enacted by bigots who hate Monsters for no other reason than they exist. Even if there was provocation, the crimes range from theft, to arson to assault. If Monsters were committing these crimes against your people, there would be no end to the calls for justice, no matter what your people had done to us to deserve it. And do you know what the funny part is?"

She took a step towards the senator, watching him in amusement as the slightest hint of fear entered his eyes.

"There have been instances where Humans attacked Monsters, and the Monsters did not fight back. You fear us, because we are stronger than you now. And you know this. When you were stronger than us, you slaughtered most of the Monsters, and sealed the rest underground. You fear that now the tables have turned, we would do the same to you.

"Monsters aren't like that. In the three years since we've come to the surface, despite the bigotry, despite the fear, we want nothing more than to be treated as equals. As people.

"We don't want to fight you, Senator. We don't want another war. We don't want to be forced to defend ourselves," She leaned down and grabbed at the documents she had let fall, and handed them back to the senator, who took them with trembling fingers. "Don't make us fight. Because we _will_ win."

Chara smiled brightly, and gave the man an affectionate pat on the shoulder, causing him to flinch way.

"You look like you could use a drink," she told him, her voice sympathetic. "Why don't you go over to the buffet, and relax a bit? Oh, and I would suggest firing whoever forged those documents, it's an obvious fake. You don't want to end up showing these to someone who's less kindhearted than I am."

Chara watched as the defeated Senator shuffled away. She'd been less subtle than usual, and Toriel would definitely give her a talking-to if she found out about it. While her mother was one of the kindest, gentlest souls she knew, her ability to subtly manipulate the political atmosphere around her at these meetings made it painfully obvious that she had been the power behind the throne. Chara had learned a lot from watching her work.

"Yo! Chara!"

At the sound of her name, the robot turned to see Kid trotting towards her, nimbly evading the gathered men and women in the cavernous room. The boy was wearing a dark blue vest with a white dress shirt underneath, modified to fit his armless torso. A small blue bow tie stretched around his neck, and he wore black dress pants. As always now, his visor lit up the left side of his face in a red glow.

"Hey, Kid." Chara smiled, turning her attention to the boy, her gaze flicking up and down as she admired his attire. She'd never really been one to focus on looks but… damn if he didn't look good in that outfit.

"This place is so cool!" Kid enthused, his eyes shining brightly as his eyes shifted constantly from Chara to the massive room they stood in. "And there's so many people! Everyone's so fancy here!"

"Fancy's one word for it," Chara muttered. "No one's given you any hassle, right?"

"Not really, everyone seems really nice!"

"Just be careful, not everyone here has our best interests at heart." **And by that, I mean most of them,** she added internally.

Kid nodded in response.

"Don't worry, I will."

"Good to hear… but I'm glad it sounds like you're having fun. Maybe I'll have to drag you along to more of these… you look good in a suit."

Kid blushed, and looked away shyly for a moment. He was smiling when he looked back though.

"Uh.. thanks, Chara. You look good too, your hair looks nice like that."

Chara reached up to absently run her fingers through her high ponytail; another thing done specially for this occasion.

"Really? I feel kind of silly with it…"

Kid shook his head vigorously.

"No! It looks good! I like it!"

The robot gave him a warm smile.

"Thanks, Kid," her gaze settled on his visor for a moment. "How's your visor doing? Is it working properly again?"

"I think so… it's not glitching out anymore after Alphys took a look at it. Good thing too… It got so bad, I could barely see outa that eye!"

"Good thing we got it fixed, then," Chara teased. "You already have enough trouble keeping from tripping without being half blind on top of it!"

"Hey!"

The mechanical girl laughed at Kid's protest, her synthetic tones carrying her voice across the room. When she refocused on Kid, he had a soft smile on his face and a distant look in his eyes.

"Alright, lizard-boy, what are you thinking about?"

Kid shook himself, snapping out of whatever little trance he had been in.

"Uh, sorry, it's just… it was nice to hear you laugh again."

"What do you mean? It's not like it's been a long time."

"Yeah but…" the Monster shrugged. "I dunno, the last few weeks you seemed kinda… sad? Like, you smiled and laughed, but it didn't really feel real, you know? Like you were only doing it for us instead of for you."

Chara blinked in surprise. Sans, sure, she hadn't been too surprised that he was more aware of her struggle, despite her attempts to hide it. But Kid… she hadn't expected him to be this perceptive.

Just as he started looking uncomfortable, Chara found her voice.

"You noticed that, huh?"

"Yeah…" the boy looked to her in concern. "You're alright, right?"

"I'm better now," she admitted. "I was… having trouble sleeping, but I talked with Sans, and he was actually pretty helpful. Sorry if I worried you…"

"You shoulda gone to him in the first place! If there's anyone who knows how to get to sleep, it's Sans!"

"I'll keep that in mind if it ever happens again," Chara promised.

"Good, I like it better when you're smiling."

As Chara vainly attempted to keep her cheeks from coloring, Kid looked towards the buffet that was always set up at these events. He looked back to Chara.

"Yo, I'm gonna go grab a drink, you want one?"

"You think you can bring two cups back here at once?"

"Hah! Just watch me!" Before she could say anything, Kid dashed off, quickly disappearing into the massed crowd. She sighed and folded her arms, smiling after him. This, she had to see.

"He seems like a nice young man," a deep voice rumbled beside her. Chara looked up to see a tall, well-dressed man with a full wineglass in his hand standing close to her, also watching where Kid had disappeared.

"He is," Chara replied, keeping her voice carefully neutral. She'd dealt with this man before. His name was William, and he was one of the more dangerous politicians. In public, he was sympathetic to Monsters, though not actually helpful to their cause. In private, however…

"I've not seen a Monster with no arms before," William continued, taking a sip of his drink. "Was he born like that, or did something happen to him?"

"He's always been that way," Chara replied, deciding to go along with whatever game he was playing for now. She wanted to know why he was suddenly interested in her boyfriend.

"I see. I do hope you're keeping an eye on him," the man cast Chara a glance before turning his attention away. "It's a dangerous world out there, even for someone who does have arms. It would be a shame if something happened to him."

Chara kept her stance casual, though internally she was seething. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to call upon her magic and kill this smug bastard for daring to threaten Kid.

Instead, she gave a bright little smile and turned slightly so she was partly facing him.

"You're right, William. It _is_ a dangerous world out there. But, I find that one's actions can make it far more dangerous. For example," her counterattack was fast and furious, though she kept her tone even. "If one were to, say, cheat on his wife with the secretary of G.R.E.E.N at every one of these meetings, or perhaps, skim off the top of his corporations funding for "personal projects", that could make his life far more dangerous. Especially if the people he was cheating were to find out about such things."

William was silent for a moment, and Chara internally crowed at her victory. She knew that behind his calm mask, he must be fuming right now. Finally, he said quietly;

"Are you threatening me, Ambassador?"

"Are you threatening _me_ , Human?" Chara shot back.

There was another moment of tense silence, before William burst out laughing. Chara followed suit. While the mechanical girl's laugh was genuine, William's was forced and fake, signalling to the girl that she had won this round.

"A pleasure to speak with you as always, Ambassador, but I must be going." The man inclined his head to Chara, who returned the gesture, a smile still hovering about her lips.

As he walked away, she looked toward the buffet table, and her eyes widened. Kid wandered towards her, two glasses, balanced precariously on his head, each leaning slightly against a spike. His gaze was fixed upwards, and his gait shifted from side to side in an effort to keep the punch atop his head instead of all over the floor. People around him gave a wide berth, no-one wanted to end up covered in drink should the armless Monster fail in his task.

"Kid! You actually did it!" There was surprise and a hint of pride in her synthetic tones. She strode towards the boy as he came to a standstill, and plucked the cups from atop his head. "I'm impressed, your balance must really be a lot better than it used to be if you can manage that!"

Kid just gave her a wide grin.

"Never underestimate the mighty Kid!" he crowed, striking a pose that had definitely been inspired by Mettaton.

Chara laughed and leaned forward, kissing him softly on the cheek.

"Don't get too full of yourself champ," she passed him one drink, which he grabbed with his teeth. "Drink up, there's still about an hour to go before we go home. I need you to stay sharp, okay?"


	17. Shifters (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note that this is the last of the daily uploads. As we have now caught up with the story, Armless Embrace will upload twice a week on Thursday and Sunday evenings.

"I can't believe it's the last day before spring break already! It feels like it was still Christmas time just a couple weeks ago!"

Frisk and Chara sat on the bleachers overlooking the well-maintained football field just outside the high school, idly watching the cheerleading coach attempt to get a group of Temmies under control. None of them were wearing the proper uniform, but each one grasped a pom-pom in each paw like their lives depended on it.

Chara looked over to her brother, raising an eyebrow in amusement at his outburst.

"Well, you were sick for two weeks, I'm honestly surprised you managed to catch up with your schoolwork as quick as you did."

"Hey, I can work hard if I need to!" Frisk defended. "Just 'cause I don't, doesn't mean I can't!"

"I'm aware," Chara replied, idly fiddling with her locket as she spoke. "It was kind of refreshing to see you put effort into something other than trying to find a new makeout partner."

"Yeah, yeah," Frisk grumbled, digging into a small bag of popcorn. He shoved a fistful into his face, making Chara shake her head in revulsion.

"Real classy there, bro."

"Speaking of makeout partners," Frisk said, finishing his mouthful and swallowing before he spoke, "Where's Kid? I haven't seen him here today, and I'm supposed to go hang out at his place after school lets out."

"He's on a field trip, I think with his science class or something. He's supposed to be back after school, but he said he might be a little late."

Frisk gave a thoughtful hum, grabbing another handful of his snack as he did so.

"Ah well, I can always go ahead and wait for him at his place. At least it's not that far out," He grinned suddenly at Chara. "Aren't you a little worried? Me and Kid alone together while you're not around… anything could happen!"

Chara rolled her eyes at Frisk's suggestive tone.

"Unlike you, Kid has standards. I don't think I have anything to worry about."

"I have standards!" Frisk protested.

"Well I thought you did, but between that incident a couple weeks ago, and the fact that you just suggested flirting with Kid, I'm starting to wonder if your "female only" standard doesn't even apply.

"Are you still going on about that?" Frisk groaned, causing Chara to grin triumphantly. It wasn't often she was able to repay her brother's teasing, but when she could… she was merciless.

"What am I supposed to think? You were staring at that guy's ass for five minutes!"

"He was wearing a ponytail! It was very misleading!"

"Whatever you say, bro."

The two fell silent, watching the Temmies below them, who had gathered into a messy line. Their pom-poms flailed about wildly and they began to chant in unison.

"Gimme a T!" they cried. "Gimme a E! Gimme a M! Gimme 'nother M! Gimme an I! Gimme a E! Gooo Temmie!"

The cheerleading coach sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose for a moment before slowly clapping.

"Well done." Despite the praise, her tone conveyed only exhaustion and a hint of sarcasm. "You have, finally, after four days of practice, managed to correctly spell your own names. However, that still isn't what you're supposed to be chanting!"

Before there could be any reply, the sound of the bell going off caught everyone's attention. Frisk stood, pulling out his phone and depositing what was left of his popcorn into one of the dimensional boxes, then slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"You know, if you freed up some space in your phone, you wouldn't need to carry the backpack," Chara informed him as they made their way down the bleachers. Frisk cast her a condescending glance in response.

"But then I would have less popcorn, sis," he explained patiently.

"Oh the horror. I dread to even think of it." Chara replied sarcastically.

 

Chara sat in the living room, idly flipping through channels on TV. She wasn't really interested in what was playing, but she found it easier to think when mindless drivel was playing in front of her. She smirked to herself. Living with Frisk, that was almost a necessary skill.

Before she could settle down however, a familiar tune began playing from her chest. It was the sound of the music box she and Asriel had, back in the Underground. It was also the sound she had set up as her ringtone for when Kid called.

She casually turned off the television and closed her eyes, accessing the systems within her that allowed for cell phone capabilities.

"Hey, babe," she said aloud, a smile hovering around her lips as she used her pet name for the boy, knowing that he'd be blushing on the other side. "What's up?"

"Uhh… hey, Chara." The robotic girl's grin widened at Kid's voice, her boyfriend obviously trying to regain his composure. "Uh… yo, is Frisk not coming? I thought he was supposed to come over today…"

Chara's grin quickly turned into a frown.

"Yeah, he left right after school let out - he should've been there before you got back. Maybe he's trying to pull a trick on you?"

"I was wondering that too, but I can't find him anywhere. I even used that scan thingy on my visor, and he still didn't show up. Maybe he didn't come?"

"No, he was looking forward to visiting you," Chara assured him. "Did you try his cell?"

"I tried, but nothing happened. It didn't even ring, I called him like, three times just to make sure."

Chara stood up, her feet sinking slightly into the carpeted floor.

"Hold on a minute, I'm gonna see if Dad knows what's going on."

"Alright…"

Chara muted her internal speakers so that her conversation with her father wouldn't be transmitted to the boy. If she knew Asgore, he would be in the garden out behind the house. She narrowed her eyes. Whatever Frisk was playing at, he'd be in for a world of hurt if he made Kid feel bad.

Before she could get very far however, there was a knock on the front door. Chara hesitated for a moment, before letting out an irritated huff and changing direction towards the entryway, instead of the side door leading out back. Of course she would be the only one in the house when someone came by while she was trying to figure something out.

"Hang on a minute, Kid." She said, unmuting herself for a moment. "Someone's at the door, I might be a little while. Let me know if Frisk shows up in the meantime, and give him a smack for me if he does, okay?"

"I don't think I can manage it like you can, but I'll try, haha." Kid replied teasingly.

"Well, breathe fire at him or something then. He can handle it."

She re-muted her internal speakers to the sound of Kid's laughter, grinning for a brief moment, before her amusement was replaced with irritation as there was another knock on the door, more insistent this time.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She muttered, reaching the door and beginning to turn the handle. "This had better be important."

She opened the door, and took a step back, her eyes widening in shock at the figure standing before her. Whoever it was, he was tall, not quite as tall as Asgore, but close. She couldn't make out any of the person's features, since they were completely covered in jet black, full plate armour, there was a small slit on the helmet for the eyes, but nothing could be seen through it, save for a red glow, reminiscent in color to her own magic. There was a long tail stretching out behind him, coiled neatly on the pavement below him. It was a light grey, and looked to be heavily plated, though it seemed more of a natural armor than what they wore over the rest of their body, reminding her of an armadillo's plates.

"Is this the Dreemurr household?"

The figure's voice was deep and masculine, leading Chara to believe that whoever was under all that armor was male. The robotic girl narrowed her eyes at him, her guard raised slightly. Despite his humanoid appearance, from what she could tell without being able to see underneath his armor anyways, the tail meant he was a Monster, not Human, which kept her more relaxed than she would otherwise be, but it wasn't often that a heavily armored visitor came to their house, and never one that she didn't recognise.

"It is…" She replied warily, prepared to summon her magic at the first sign of danger. "Who are you?"

The man inclined his head slightly to her.

"My name is Vigil. You are… Chara, yes?"

"I am. Do we know you?"

"I am afraid not. However, I do have some important news for your parents. If they are here, could you bring them to me, princess?"

"Princess?" Chara growled, the red lights in her eyes shining brighter. "Are you mocking me?"

The man started, seemingly caught off guard by her reaction.

"What? No, of course not!"

"Why did you call me princess then?" The robotic girl demanded.

"You are the daughter of the king and queen, even if not by blood. That makes you the princess. But I mean no offence, I will not use that title if you don't like it."

Chara blinked in surprise.

"I… never thought about it like that," she admitted. "Uh, you wanted to talk to Mom and Dad right? Dad's in the back I think, I'm not sure where Mom is right now." She hoped she'd been quick enough to distract him from the whole 'princess' thing, she was going to need more time to process _that_ particular reality.

"Could you get them for me?" Vigil asked. "My message is urgent, and it involves all of you."

"Alright," Chara hesitated for a moment, before opening the door wider. "Come in, I'll see if they're around."

Vigil stepped inside, his metal boots clanking against the floor of the entryway. He made no move to remove any of his armour. She was still wary of the man, inviting him in had been more so she could keep an eye on him than anything else.

Once again, Chara only made it a few steps before she heard a door opening. She heard both her parents talking, they must both have been in the garden. Good, that made it easier on her. Maybe they would have some idea what was going on. If not…

"Mom? Dad?" she called. "Someone's here to see you, he says it's important."

"We'll be there in a moment, dear!" Toriel called, her voice echoing from just beyond the kitchen. Chara looked to Vigil, who was staring through the doorway, his hands at his sides.

After just a brief moment, both Chara's parents appeared in the kitchen, both wearing dirty pants and t-shirts. Obviously, the two had been in the garden together, there was even a small tuft of grass stuck in Asgore's beard.

Upon seeing them, Vigil immediately fell to one knee, bowing his head so it nearly touched his extended limb, his thick tail curling about his ankles.

"Deregar aradreth dayo," He said, his voice taking on a reverent tone as he spoke. Both Toriel and Asgore stiffened at his words, staring in wide-eyed surprise at their guest.

"Your majesties," The armored man continued, his head still lowered. "It is my greatest honour to finally meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"It has been a long time since I heard that language," Toriel said softly, her gaze trained on Vigil. "Who… who are you?"

The man raised his head, looking up at the two Boss Monsters, though he remained kneeling.

"My name is Vigil. And I believe you already know what I am."

"Well, I don't," Chara spoke up, folding her arms in front of her chest. "Can someone explain what's going on here?"

"Perhaps, this conversation would be better held in the living room?" Asgore said, his voice slightly strained. "I could make some tea…"

"That might be a good idea, Gorey." Toriel reached out and plucked the tuft of grass from his beard. "But don't take too long, alright?" Chara's mother looked back to Vigil. "Please, come with me. And there is no need to kneel, we are not royalty any longer."

"Perhaps not," Vigil responded, rising almost reluctantly. "But you led Monsters through the most difficult time in our history. My respect is the very least I can give you."

Chara followed the two through the kitchen and past Asgore, who was already heating up the tea kettle with his magic, and was pulling cups out of the cupboards. They entered the living room, Toriel seating herself in one of the reading chairs.

"Please, have a seat," she said, gesturing to the couch. Vigil nodded politely, and strode over, settling himself down. Meanwhile, Chara leaned up against a wall, her gaze going between Vigil and her mother, waiting for someone to explain what was going on.

"I didn't think any of you survived the war," Toriel spoke, looking to Vigil. "I thought the Humans wiped you all out at the very beginning."

"They certainly tried," Vigil acknowledged, a hint of pride in his voice. "But some of us managed to escape. And with our powers, it wasn't too difficult to hide in plain sight, as it were." The man shrugged. "At least, I would assume so. The survivors didn't really have much interest in writing down their history, more's the pity."

"Hang on," Chara spoke up, her brows furrowing in concentration. "Are you… are you saying that you're descended from Monsters who weren't sealed Underground?"

Vigil inclined his head in affirmation. Chara just stared at him, wide-eyed.

"What… how is that even possible?"

"Before the war, there were many more distinct species of Monster," Toriel explained. "Most of them were completely annihilated during the war, though some of their traits live on in hybrid Monsters."

"My people were targeted before the war even began," Vigil continued. "Humans feared our power, and tried to destroy us before we had the chance to fight against them. I am a Shifter. My kind have the ability change our form to suit our needs."

Chara blinked, processing the information.

"Can you become… anything?" She asked.

"Not quite. But we do have one power that was very useful in keeping us hidden. You know that Monsters are made mostly of magic, with a limited physical form, yes?"

Chara nodded.

"Well, I, and my people, have the ability to change how much physical matter and magical matter we have in our bodies. I can become a being of pure magic like a ghost Monster, or fully physical like the Humans are, and everything inbetween. That is the power the Humans feared."

The robotic girl looked over to her mother for conformation, and Toriel nodded. Chara wasn't sure what to say, but she was saved from trying to figure it out by Asgore entering with a tray with several cups and the teapot balanced on it.

"That was quick," Toriel noted, her voice taking on an amused tone.

"Well, I have been making tea for centuries." Asgore grinned, balancing the tray with one hand and pouring the hot liquid into each cup with the other. "You pick up a few tricks along the way."

He passed a cup to everyone in the room, then settled down with his own in the other armchair, looking over to Vigil.

"It is good to see that your people survived the war. I am curious though. If you've been here on the surface, why haven't you contacted us before now? It has been over three years since the barrier was broken."

"We're used to being in the background," Vigil explained, holding his cup though he made no move to remove his helmet. "We've been hiding our presence from the Humans for centuries. Not to mention, there aren't very many of us, and those few are spread out across the world. We work best in the shadows. Until now it was best that you not know about us."

"Why is that?" Toriel questioned, sipping at her tea. Chara recognised her tone, it was the same one she used at the Human-Monster relations meetings, and she had begun mentally referring to it as her "queen voice".

"When you came to the surface, you quickly made it clear that you wished to integrate peacefully into Human society, rather than begin another war. So we decided to help. While you fought battles with wit and diplomacy to secure peace, we fought against the Humans who were uninterested in diplomacy."

"Were?" Toriel questioned.

"Are," Vigil corrected himself. "We have been mostly successful at keeping the worst of the Humans away from you. Unfortunately, in the past year there has been an increase in anti-Monster sentiment."

"Really?" Asgore's voice was surprised. "I thought we've been doing rather well, especially with Chara's help." He cast a proud glance over at his daughter, who tried in vain to keep her cheeks from coloring.

"Unfortunately, that is also the problem. When Chara first made herself known outside your son, there was an uproar amongst the Humans."

The Dreemurs nodded slowly, and Chara scowled.

"Yeah, they accused us of removing Frisk's magic and putting it in my body to keep Humans weak and unable to use magic. Idiots."

Vigil nodded, shifting his position slightly on the couch.

"There are still many who believe that, and they have been working to rally others to their cause. In particular, an organization known as Overwatch."

"Overwatch? I have not heard of them before."

"There are few who have," Vigil replied, turning to face the former queen. "They are a very very old group. They were formed just after Monsters were sealed underground. They were founded to find and wipe out the Shifters who still remained. Since the barrier broke however, they have found new purpose, and are dedicated to destroying Monsterkind completely."

Chara tightened her hands into fists.

"It's never enough for them, is it?" she muttered to herself.

"They are well-funded, and have powerful backers," Vigil continued. "And currently, they have more support than ever before. That's why…" He bowed his head. "Some of them managed to slip the net."

"What do you mean?" Toriel asked warily.

"Your son, Frisk," Vigil said reluctantly, and the other occupants of the room stiffened at his words. "They snatched him off the streets almost an hour ago, and I was unable to stop them."

"What!?"

Vigil winced slightly at the outburst.. Toriel was trembling in her chair, and Asgore quickly rose, going over to his wife and kneeling beside her while he watched Vigil.

"Why would they take him?" Chara demanded. "If they hate Monsters, why would they go after him first?"

"I don't know for certain." Vigil replied slowly. "But if I had to guess… they may still believe that Frisk once possessed magic, and are trying to learn how to reawaken it."

"How could this happen?" Toriel had buried her head in her hands and was noticeably shaking now. "You're… you're sure it was him?"

"I'm afraid so. I'm sorry, if I'd been a little faster I could have stopped this."

"We have to get him back," Chara declared, anger burning in her eyes. "We can't let them get away with this!"

"Agreed." Vigil stood, placing his teacup on the coffee table in front of him and rising. "I came to tell you what happened, and I have. I will devote everything I have to finding where he is, and when I do, you will be the first to know."

"We can help," Asgore spoke up, raising his head to look at the now-standing Shifter, a fire burning in his eyes. "Undyne is the chief of police, if we speak with her, she may have an idea of where we can look, and she won't rest until we find him."

Vigil hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"The more people we have searching, the better. Overwatch will likely be holding him somewhere in the city, or nearby. I will speak with my contacts, then meet you at the police station. Agreed?"

Asgore nodded.

"I will be there."

Vigil bowed before the room's occupants, before turning and swiftly striding out of the room. Asgore turned his attention to comforting Toriel, soothing her with soft words and holding her close as she began to cry quietly into him.

Chara unmuted her internal speakers and whispered quietly;

"Kid? You still there?"

"Yeah, still no sign of Frisk though," came the reply. "So, is he gonna show up or…?"

"I… think you should come out here," Chara replied. "Actually, scratch that. I'm gonna come and get you. It looks like there's been a change of plans, and I've got a lot I need to tell you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't remember if I thought of the organization being called Overwatch before or after I heard about the game, but there's no intentional correlation here. I just thought the name fit.


	18. Shifters (Part 2)

"So… Frisk's really gone?" Kid's voice was subdued, traces of worry in his eyes as he looked over at Chara.

"For now, anyway," Chara acknowledged, scuffing her foot against the sidewalk as they walked slowly down the street. "But these guys messed with the wrong family. We're gonna get him back." She curled her hands into fists. "And they're gonna regret ever taking him."

Kid moved a little closer to her, pressing his warm body against her side.

"You okay, Chara?" he asked quietly. The girl sighed and rubbed her forehead in response.

"Not… really," she admitted. "It's a lot to take in. And if the guys who took Frisk are really trying to reawaken magic in Humans..."

"Can they even do that?" Kid asked. "I thought Humans couldn't use magic anymore."

"If Frisk actually had magic, they might. But he doesn't even have as strong Determination as he used to. But that's what worries me. What are these guys willing to try to get the reaction they want out of him?"

"Yo.. don't worry. You've got Undyne helping look for him, right? I'm sure you guys'll find him in no time!"

Chara's lips twitched into a small smile that didn't reach her eyes, and she brushed her bangs out of her face as an errant gust of wind picked up.

"I sure hope so. I think she's got like, half the police force out looking for him. Plus Dad and Vigil. Too bad he doesn't actually have magic, otherwise it's be a lot easier to find him."

"Yo, wait," Kid said suddenly a thought striking him. "You're linked with Frisk right? Can't you use that to find him?"

"That's kinda what we're doing right now. But it's not as easy as it is for Monsters."

Kid cocked his head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

Chara was silent for a moment, trying to figure out how best to explain it.

"Well, Monsters can sense magical energy, right? And if you're good enough at it, you can even tell who someone is just by their magical signature. But me and Frisk, we can't actually sense each other. We can just talk to each other in our minds."

"Isn't that even more useful though? I mean, you could just ask him to tell you where he is, right?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't reach very far. I'd have to be close enough to hear him. We might be able to find something but…"

Her voice trailed off and she tightened her fists again. As she lowered her head to stare at the pavement passing by beneath them, Kid leaned over and nuzzled at her neck softly, earning a small gasp from the robotic girl.

"Kid…" Chara looked back up at him and he pulled back slightly, sympathy shimmering in his eyes behind the red glow of his visor.

The boy opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, a loud honking noise from behind startled the two. They turned to see a police car pulling up on the sidewalk, Undyne sitting in the driver's seat. As the car came to a stop, Undyne opened the door and and got out of the vehicle, turning to face at the couple.

"Any sign of him?" Chara asked quickly, disappointed, but not surprised when the fish-woman shook her head with a scowl.

"Nothing. I don't understand it, according to Vigil, he got taken right off the streets! How the hell did nobody else notice this?"

"You're right… that doesn't make sense." Chara agreed, her gaze narrowing. "It was in broad daylight too! There's no way it went unnoticed."

Undyne huffed in irritation.

"Don't worry, I'll figure it out soon. For now though," She gestured to the vehicle. "Get in."

"Where are we going?" Kid asked, immediately complying with Undyne's order before Chara could say anything.

"Toriel wants Chara back home, and right now, it's probably best not to be wandering around alone, if there really is a bunch of guys who hate Monsters kidnapping people."

"I'm almost as strong as you are, remember?" Chara retorted, not yet moving towards the car. Kid hesitated on seeing his girlfriend's reluctance, looking back and forth between the two. "I can handle myself, and Kid too."

Undyne shook her head in exasperation.

"Just get in, will ya? I have to go talk to the mayor again after this, and I want to get that over with as fast as I can. Besides, everyone else is meeting back at your place, maybe someone else will have something by now."

Chara let out an irritated huff, but complied, walking towards the car and opening the side door, letting Kid get in first before following. Undyne slid back into her seat and pulled the car back out onto the road, taking a right at the first intersection and heading back to the Monster district.

"So," Chara said carefully, helping Kid buckle in. "What's your take on Vigil?"

"He's pretty badass," Undyne admitted, her ear fins twitching slightly. "Knows how to make an entrance too, and we can use all the help we can get. Still…"

"What?"

"He outright refused to answer a bunch of my questions." Her grip tightened on the wheel. "I don't like people keeping secrets."

"Yo, but he's on our side, right? I mean, he told you that Frisk was gone..." Kid asked.

"True, and he did seem pretty genuine why he was talking to Mom and Dad. Still, if feels kinda… convenient." Chara explained. Undyne nodded in agreement.

"He's helping us, sure. But I get the feeling there's more going on than what he's telling us."

"Wait a minute," Chara said suddenly. "We should get Sans to talk to Vigil! He's really good at this kind of thing, if there's something wrong, he'll pick up on it!"

"He's way down in the core, remember? Even with it at low power, it still interferes with cell phone signals. Asgore sent a couple of guys down to see if they could find him, but you remember how well that worked out last time."

"What does he even do down there?" Kid asked in bewilderment. "I thought nobody went into the Underground anymore!"

"We're not sure," Chara replied. "He's kind of the master of keeping things to himself. Whatever the reason, it's pretty bad timing, he'd probably make things a lot easier now."

"As long as we get Frisk back, that's what's important." Undyne's voice was mostly calm, but a faint trace of steel had entered it. "And we will get him back."

The occupants of the vehicle were silent for the rest of the trip. It wasn't much longer until Undyne pulled into the driveway of Chara's home. She turned her head so she could look at her passengers.

"Alright, punks, get going. Let me know if anyone's found anything, alright?"

Chara nodded solemnly, helping Kid out of his straps and exiting the vehicle, which quickly pulled out of the driveway, turning sharply and screeching as Undyne sped away. Kid watched after it wide-eyed.

"Yo, I'm glad she wasn't driving that fast while we were in it!"

"Good to know she has at least _some_ self-control," Chara said wryly. "Come on, let's-'

She stooped as there was the sound of flapping from overhead. She looked up, instinctively, backing up to shield Kid in case they were under attack. Kid let out a startled gasp, and her own eyes widened at what was coming towards them.

It was Vigil, still covered in pitch-black armour, but now huge wings stretched out of his back, flapping slightly as he lowered himself to the ground beside him. They weren't normal wings, they both seemed to be made of a teal energy almost the same color as Undyne's spears.

The he landed in front of the dumbstruck teens, he stretched them, rolling his shoulders as he did so, then retracting them into his back, until they disappeared entirely.

"Yo…" Kid breathed, before beginning to bounce up and down excitedly. "Chara! You didn't tell me he had wings!"

"He… didn't." Chara managed.

"I am sorry if I took you by surprise." Vigil stated. "I'm afraid my wings are large enough that it makes having them out inside… complicated."

"Yeah, those things were massive!" Kid enthused. "I bet they could wrap all the way around you!"

While his face could not be seen, the red light shining through the slit in his helmet seemed warmer for a moment as Vigil looked at the excitable boy. Then he turned his attention to Chara.

"Did you find anything?" she asked before he could speak.

"I am afraid not, pri- Chara. I know their presence is strong within this city, though I have never been able to find their main base of operations."

"Could they have taken him outside the city?"

"They could have," Vigil acknowledged. "But I doubt it. Their strongholds around this area have ever proved elusive to find, and from the few we have found, they are the most heavily guarded and well-protected that we've ever seen. If they want what I think they do… They'll have him around here somewhere."

"Let's hope Mom or Dad found something then." Chara began to walk towards the door, Kid following close behind.

"Don't get your hopes up," Vigil warned. "If they had found something, likely they would have already notified us.

Chara did not reply, and the three stepped into the house, noting how quiet it was. They made their way into the living room to find Toriel sitting in her reading chair, setting her phone down beside her and burying her face in her hands.

"Mom?" Chara asked in concern, striding quickly over to the Boss Monster, who looked up at her voice.

"Chara? Has there been-"

"Nothing so far," The mechanical girl reluctantly replied. Toriel let out a sigh that was almost a whimper in response.

"I have been making calls," the former queen told them, tears forming at the sides of her eyes. "I have managed to secure a little help for us, but…"

"We'll bring him back, Mom." Chara sat on the armrest of the chair and wrapped her arms around Toriel, who gratefully reciprocated the hug. Kid walked over hesitantly to stand beside his girlfriend.

"Yo, don't worry. Frisk made it through the whole Underground with like, everybody trying to kill him! He'll be fine, you'll see."

"I will do everything in my power to ensure he is returned safely to you," Vigil put in, remaining on the other side of the room, and watching the scene unfolding.

Toriel managed a small smile, squeezing her daughter a little tighter.

"Thank you… all of you." Before she could continue, Asgore stepped into the room, turning everyone's attention to him. At their expectant gazes, Asgore slowly shook his head.

"I don't suppose any of you have found anything?"

"I am afraid not," Vigil said quietly. "I take it your efforts have bor little fruit as well?"

The former king nodded reluctantly.

"I spoke with Undyne, and she is going to speak with the mayor now about getting permits to have her people search the city for clues. We'll see how successful she is."

There was a sudden buzzing noise, and everyone looked to Vigil, who pressed a finger to the side of his head.

"Excuse me." He turned and walked quickly out of the room, and they could just make out his voice speaking quietly from the kitchen, though they could not make out the words.

Asgore looked to Toriel.

"Have you had any luck?"

"Some of our allies have agreed to look into the matter, but apparently none of them have heard of Overwatch before. Most have offered nothing more than sympathy… some of it was even genuine."

"Really shows who your friends are when you're in trouble, doesn't it?" Chara snarled. "Three years of peace and integration, and this is what we get for support. Pathetic."

Kid looked concernedly at her, stepping close and pressing against her side, silently lending her his support. She relaxed slightly at his touch, though her face still bore a scowl.

"Yo.. it'll be okay, you'll see," Kid murmured.

Vigil walked back into the room, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"That was one of my contacts." Everyone looked up at that. "A few months ago, I acquired some Overwatch documents, and I've had people trying to decode them ever since. We just had a major breakthrough."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Chara demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"Chara, let him speak." Toriel looked at Vigil apologetically. "I am sorry, please continue."

Vigil inclined his head.

"There is apparently a lot of information, but the important part is that we've discovered the location of an Overwatch outpost within the city."

The other Monsters in the room stiffened at that, and Toriel rose from her seat with a gasp.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go get him!"

Vigil raised his hands placatingly at Chara's outburst.

"I still need to find out exactly where this outpost is, and any other information we have on it. I wished to tell you as soon as I heard."

"We appreciate it," Asgore rumbled. "Please, do what you must. I will inform Undyne of this, and we will see what can be done."

The black-armored man hesitated for a moment, then said carefully;

"I don't want to give you any false hope. I from what I was told, the place we found is likely only a minor outpost. I doubt that they will be holding Frisk there.

"But," he continued quickly, seeing the disappointment on the family's faces. "It is a lead regardless. They may have some information regarding where Frisk is being kept. If there is, we will find it."

With that, Vigil bowed slightly, and turned, leaving the room again.

"See, Chara?" Kid grinned. "Told ya it was gonna be fine."

"We are not done yet," Asgore said quietly, taking the phone that Toriel handed to him. "But you are correct regardless. We will have Frisk back. One way or another"

If one was to watch Asgore closely in the moment he said that, they would see a faint gleam come to his eyes. One orange, the other blue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have Fanart! My friend Petalthorn made a quick sketch of Vigil! This is really exciting to me guys, you should totally go check it out!
> 
> Here's the link: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Standing-Vigil-593134129


	19. Shifters (Part 3)

Chara looked around the dining table at its other occupants. Her parents sat at each end, and both Undyne and Vigil were seated across from her. Kid looked over from his seat beside the robot, worry and sympathy both prominent in his gaze.

Not unexpectedly, Undyne was the first to break the silence, turning in her chair so she could stare at Vigil.

"Well? I thought you had something!"

Vigil nodded slowly in response, turning his head so his own gaze swept the table. He pulled a map of the city out from under the table, spreading across the table for all to see.

"According to the information I received, the Overwatch outpost is…" he reached out a armored finger and tapped at one section of the map near the northern edge of the city. "Here."

"I know that place," Chara muttered, knitting her brows together in concentration. "That's an abandoned warehouse, isn't it? The one with the old barbed wire fence?"

"There've been people petitioning to take that thing down and do something constructive with the space for years." Undyne narrowed her eye. "I always wondered why nobody actually ended up doing anything about it."

"If it really is an Overwatch outpost, then that would explain why. They have enough influence to pull something like this off."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Chara demanded, rising. "We need to go there and-"

"Sit down, Chara," Toriel warned, and the girl hesitated for a moment before complying, though her eyes brightened in anger. "We know where the place is, but we need to know more. We cannot afford to go in blindly and risk returning empty-handed."

Vigil nodded slowly.

"The queen is correct. Our purpose here is to get information. If they realize they are being assaulted, we may be unable to get the data we need. They could send it away, or destroy it altogether. And even if we can interrogate them and get accurate information, which I doubt, it would take time that we may not have."

"Then, what must we do?" Asgore asked quietly. "You know more about this enemy than any of us."

"I'll tell you what we're gonna do!" Undyne interrupted before Vigil had a chance to speak. "I'm gonna bring the boys out there, surround the place, and drag each and every one of them out myself if I have to!"

Undyne, I appreciate your enthusiasm," Toriel replied, "But I do not think that is the best approach."

"Why not?" The fish-woman asked incredulously.

"I believe that this is beyond your jurisdiction as police captain," the Boss Monster stated quietly. "I have seen a few instances of this before, even if you captured them, they could easily be released by someone with higher authority. Besides, they would have gotten rid of the information we need long before you captured them."

"Give me five minutes in a room with one of them, and I'll know everything from his favourite color on upwards," Undyne promised, a gleam in her good eye.

"If we are not careful, this could easily be turned against us. As much as I hate to admit it, there are political implications here. If a Monster-run police force attacks a Human organization, there will be those who call for recompense… or war."

"To hell with that!" Undyne roared, smashing her fist against the table. "They started this! I'm not just gonna sit back and do nothing while the kid who single-handedly freed the entire Underground is in danger! Frisk risked his life for all of us, and I'd do the same for him in a heartbeat!"

"Undyne's right," Chara declared. "We can deal with the consequences later. Why should we pull any punches on these guys, when they're clearly not gonna do the same for us?"

"If I may?" Vigil spoke up, turning his head to look at the various occupants of the table. Toriel inclined her head and he continued.

"I do not trouble myself with political consequences, as that is not my duty. But I believe that it would be best to handle this situation with care. Above all else, returning Frisk is the priority, yes?" at the confirming nods of the others, he went on.

"Overwatch is a merciless organization. They will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. They could deliberately be trying to start another war. Even if that is not their primary goal, I believe they would settle for this." He was quiet for a moment, before saying softly;

"What if they are willing to move Frisk farther away, making it more difficult to find him? Or worse, kill him to elicit their desired reaction from you?"

"They wouldn't dare," Chara whispered, though dread coiled in her gut.

"You do not know them as I do," Vigil replied grimly. "They would. If we show up on their doorstep with an army, we could be condemning him to death."

Both Toriel and Asgore were visibly trembling now, their heads lowered, and even Undyne looked subdued.

"Then we approach with stealth," Toriel murmured, her voice surprisingly even.

Vigil inclined his head in agreement.

"It would be best with a small group, no more than five of us. And we will have to be very careful. We must not only find out where they are keeping Frisk, but keep the occupants from reporting to their superiors. If they realize what's going on, then it may already be too late."

"What if they don't have anything on where Frisk is?" Chara asked, voicing the worry that had been sitting at the back of her mind for some time now.

"Overwatch generally uses small outposts like these ones for communications, and sometimes for keeping records. I'm hoping that will include transmissions that relate to your brother." He sighed. "But there is no guarantee there will be anything. If we find nothing useful, we will be forced to search for him blindly."

"Then we must find what we need," Toriel said simply. She cast about the room for a moment. "Vigil, I will come with you to take this outpost. As will Chara and Asgore."

"Yo, what about me?" Kid blurted.

"Don't you dare try and make me sit this one out!" Undyne added, almost viciously.

"Undyne, I have no intentions of having you be uninvolved in this." Toriel held the fish-warrior's gaze in her own for a moment before continuing. "Once we have what we need, we will send you a signal, and you will come in with your people. I do not think you can hold them permanently, especially under the circumstances. But you may be able to stall them long enough that we can find Frisk and bring him home before Overwatch knows we are on their trail."

"Hah! That's more like it!" Undyne leaned back in her chair, seemingly satiated.

Kid, however, was far less pleased at the lack of response to his own exclamation.

"Yo, Frisk's my friend, too!" he pleaded. "C'mon, you guys gotta let me help!"

Chara placed a hand on his shoulder and shook her head, much to the reptile's dismay. It was Vigil who spoke first though.

"Overwatch is not afraid to get dust on their hands. If you were to come with us, you would be in grave danger."

"Frisk saved my life!" Kid argued stubbornly. "And I've been training with Chara! I've got magic, I can fight if I have to!"

"Kid, we've already got enough fighters," Chara soothed. "I don't want to risk you getting hurt too."

"Well, I can do something else to help!" Kid's eyes flicked about the room desperately as he thought. "I can… I can…" He sat up straight as realization dawned. "Yo! My visor!"

"What about it?"

"It's got a couple scanner thingys right? I can track people, and see computery stuff! You guys can't do that, and that's be really helpful if we're trying to be sneaky, right?"

"That would come in useful." Vigil admitted. "Though it might serve better if one of us wore it…"

"Yo, you can't just take my idea and leave me out of it!" Kid protested. "That's not fair!"

"We couldn't even if we wanted to." Chara sighed. "Alphys set it up so it only responds to his magic signature, nobody else can use it."

"I do not like the idea of putting you in danger," Toriel murmured, looking softly at the boy. "It might still be best for you to stay behind."

"We need to do everything we can to get Frisk back, right?" Kid countered.

"He's got a point." Chara admitted, albeit reluctantly. "Anyways, if he sticks with me, I can make sure he stays safe." Chara looked to her parents meeting their gazes and an unspoken message passed between them. Both Asgore and Toriel inclined their heads in silent agreement. None them wanted to see Kid alone in his house at a time like this.

"Alright then, you can come along." Kid leapt off his chair and danced around at Toriel's words, though he quickly regained his composure when he realized the others were looking at him. He gave a sheepish grin.

"Uh, yo, don't worry, I won't let you down!"

"If that is settled," Vigil began, drawing their attention back to him. "I believe I know how we can best accomplish our goal."

"We are listening." Asgore said quietly, while Kid sat back down in his chair, still grinning.

"According to my source, there is a hidden entrance to the warehouse not far from it. Chara and Kid are the smallest of us, and between his visor and her form, they may be best suited to perform the first strike. Your task will be to go in and disable their security as best you can, and see if you can locate their data storage."

"What would that look like?" Chara asked, focusing on the map before her.

"There should be one room filled with mostly computers and communications devices. It will not be unattended, but once you know where it is, it should be simple enough to secure it.

"Once you have done that, you will signal us. Asgore and Toriel can come in from the front, and hopefully take them by surprise. Incapacitate as many of them as you can, before they have a chance to alert the others. I will come in from above and secure the rest of the area. Between all of us, we should be able to make sure most of them are unable to escape, at least not before we signal Undyne. Does that work for you?"

The others slowly nodded.

"Good. Then two more things. First," He passed a flash drive to Chara. "If you get a chance, see if you can download their information, even before the rest of us come in. The quicker we are, the less time they will have to keep us from accessing it."

Chara nodded and pocketed the small device.

"The second, is that there will be one officer there. He should have a circle with an X through it emblazoned on both shoulders. We must not allow him to escape. Not only can he warn Overwatch of our attack, but he will have extensive knowledge of their current plans."

"Understood," Asgore rumbled. "Then, is there anything else we should know?"

Vigil shook his head.

"I do not believe so."

"Very well." Toriel rose, the other occupants of the table following suit. "We all know what we are to do?"

At the chorus of affirmation, Toriel tightened her hands into fists.

"Then let us begin. I will not rest until I can hold my son in my arms again."


	20. Shifters (Part 4)

"You ready?" Chara asked quietly, peering around the corner of the building she stood beside, scanning the old warehouse on the other side of the street.

"Yeah," Kid affirmed, struggling to keep his voice level as he practically vibrated with excitement. Chara cast a fond gaze back at him.

"Keep it together, alright? We have to be careful here. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Remind me to tell you that next time we spar," Kid teased, and though it took visible effort on his part, he managed to still himself. Chara just shook her head at him, then focused back on the large building across from them.

"There's a lot of empty space between those fences and the building itself." She murmured, "And most of the windows are near the top of the building. It'd be really difficult to get in unnoticed."

"Good thing we know the secret way in."

"Yeah. I never thought about it before, but this place looks like it would really make a good base. No wonder Overwatch grabbed it."

She pulled away from the wall, then turned, walking away from the building, Kid trotting after her.

"We've wasted enough time as it is. Let's get this started."

"This is so cool!" Kid enthused quietly. "I never thought I'd get to do anything like this!"

"Glad you're enjoying yourself, babe," Chara replied, checking the street before dashing across. Fortunately, this was a less well-kept area of the city, right next to the slums. There were plenty of close-knit buildings, twisting alleyways, and not a lot of traffic.

It was into one of the alleyways that Chara and Kid slipped into, both of them making a face as the smell of garbage hit them full on. Cans, rotting food and various other items that neither of them even wanted to distinguish littered the area, and they had to tread carefully to avoid stepping in it.

"Still having fun?" Chara asked wryly, stepping over an upended trash can, likely the source of this mess, and pulling it upright so it was out of Kid's way.

"They never show _this_ part in the movies."

"C'mon, would you really pay to see people pick their way through a garbage-ridden alley?"

"Yeah… probably not," Kid admitted, getting past the last of the gross debris and following as Chara began to move again, keeping her eyes peeled for the area Vigil had said the hidden entrance to the warehouse was.

After a few minutes of searching, they came across what appeared to be a makeshift shelter. A couple of wooden pallets made rickety walls, and a tarp draped over the construction. A dirty mattress lay inside, pressing against the wall, and several filthy blankets covered most of the inside.

Chara frowned.

"This… should be where the entrance is, I think." She stepped forward, crouching down and rummaging through the blankets.

"Yo," Kid looked down at her in concern a few steps back. "Should we be going through this? I mean, it looks like someone lives here…."

Chara pulled the blankets to the side, revealing a wooden trap-door underneath.

"If that's the case, we can repay whoever it is later." She frowned. "I don't get it though, why would Overwatch let some homeless guy live on top of a secret entrance to their base?"

"Maybe they don't really use it?" Kid suggested.

"Maybe… or maybe they set this up on purpose to hide it." The girl shrugged. "Doesn't really matter now. You ready?"

Kid nodded.

"Bring it!"

"That's the spirit." Chara chuckled, then pulled open the small square door and peering down below it. There was no ladder, though the drop wasn't too far, maybe about five feet. Unfortunately that meant that it was going to be cramped down there. She took in a breath, then sat on the edge, letting her feet dangle over before dropping in. It was shallow enough that Chara's head was still above ground, until she crouched and moved out of the way for Kid.

The boy was quick to follow suit, though he had some difficulties with his tail. Since it was rigid, it wasn't very flexible, but it was also short enough that he could make his own way down with only minimal discomfort. He landed beside Chara, crouching and grinning at her.

"Shall we?" Chara asked, looking down the long, narrow corridor they found themselves in.

"Yeah, let's do this!"

The corridor was long, straight and narrow, forcing the two teens to walk in single file. What little light that had come into the place from the open trapdoor was soon swallowed up by darkness. Fortunately, between the lights in Chara's eyes, and Kid's visor, a weak red light bathed the passage around them, keeping them from being completely blind.

Not that it would make much difference. The concrete walls of the tunnel around them only went in one direction. There were no offshoots, no changes in the level of the ground. The most hazardous thing down here seemed to be the occasional large, hairy spider, and those appeared to regard their passage with vague disinterest.

"It really doesn't feel like anybody's been down here in a long time, does it?" Chara muttered, brushing a spiderweb out of the way.

"Not unless Muffet's been hanging out down here, haha." Chara barely managed to stifle her own chuckle.

It was hard to tell how long they had been travelling for, but eventually they reached the end of the passageway. Instead of a wall, there was a small wooden door, not unlike the one they had opened to get down here in the first place. Chara breathed deeply, then carefully pushed open the door, just enough for her to peer outside.

Seeing nothing threatening, she pushed it open a little farther, only to jerk back as she spotted a ceiling-mounted camera pointed towards her. After a moment, she cautiously checked again, noting with disappointment that it appeared to be fixed, negating any chance of them getting past undetected.

"Kid?" She asked quietly, not wanting to risk being overheard if the camera had a microphone in it. "Check your visor. How many people are in here?"

Kid moved his head from side to side, his lips moving silently and his eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Uh… seven… no, eighteen of them." He reported. "Six of them are on our level, and the rest are above us. I think there's a second floor or something."

"Are any of the guys on our level close by?"

"Not… really? They're kinda all spread out. None of them are too close, anyways."

"Alright… there's a camera right outside, we won't be able to get past it without it seeing us. I'm gonna try to disable it. We'll have to hurry after that though, if anyone's paying attention, they'll probably realize something's wrong."

"Cool, you can disable cameras? Is that like, one of the things from your robot body or what?"

Chara's right eye emitted a soft glow, and she conjured an orb of red energy just behind her.

"I was just gonna use this…"

"Oh." Kid looked a little sheepish, and attempted to lean back, though he jerked in surprise when one of his head spikes hit the ceiling.

"Shh!" Chara warned. Then she leaned out as far as she could while still being covered by the door. She closed her eyes, mentally picturing where the camera had been. Then she let the orb fly.

There was a cracking sound, and Chara poked her head out to see that the light on the camera had gone out. The lens had broken too, and bits of glass now littered the floor beneath it.

"Alright, let's go." Chara climbed out of the cramped space, realizing at the last moment that they were a short way up from the wall, and barely managing to keep herself from falling. Once she was out and stable, she helped Kid, making sure he was able to safely get down, closing the door behind him.

"Yo, what now? Kid asked quietly. Chara took a quick moment to check their surroundings. As far as she could tell, this bottom floor of the warehouse was just one huge room. Though large crates, barrels and various other containers were stacked high in seemingly random locations, obscuring her vision.

Some ways to the left however, she could make out stairs leading up. She pointed towards those.

"If there's more people on the top floor, then that's probably where all the important stuff is," she guessed. "The guys down here are probably just guards."

"So, we head upstairs then?"

"Yeah. Keep an eye out, let me know if anyone's coming our way. The longer we can keep them from seeing us, the better."

The two began to move, and Chara took a brief moment to congratulate herself for wearing shoes for this. Her metal feet would have made too much noise on the hardwood floors here, and she would have risked alerting the guards if she hadn't thought ahead.

Chara and Kid stuck close to the large obstructions, carefully scanning for guards or more cameras before darting to the next tower of old crates.

"Wonder if any of these still has anything in them," Chara muttered as they closed in on the stairway.

"Uh, Chara?" Kid asked urgently. "I think there's someone-"

Chara's eyes widened and she ducked behind a stack of crates as someone began to descend the staircase. Kid gave a startled squeak and rushed in behind her, pressing his back against the wood. Though they couldn't see him any more, the man's footsteps were heavy and they could hear him grumbling quietly to himself. They both froze as the sounds starting coming in their direction, and a large, heavily built man in jeans and a white t-shirt walked past, a pistol strapped to his side.

"Stupid cameras," he muttered, walking past their cover. If he so much as glanced to the side…

"And who is it they make go fix em? 'Oh, Steve, you've got previous experience, you're obviously the right choice.' Okay, first off…"

His voice faded as he passed them, and Chara and Kid both let out a sigh of relief at narrowly managing to remain undetected. Chara gave her boyfriend a look.

"Maybe a little more warning next time?"

"Sorry! I was kinda focusing on the guys down here."

"C'mon, let's go, before that guy realizes that that thing's not just malfunctioning. Is there anyone else up there near the stairs?"

"Doesn't look like it." Kid replied, quickly scanning the ceiling.

"Alright."

With that, they sprinted towards the stairs, quickly ascending them onto the next level, where they slowed to check their surroundings. There was a long corridor, the walls painted off-white. There were several doors lining it on the left side, none of them with any markings to indicate what lay behind them.

"Doesn't look like there's any cameras up here," Chara noted, looking around quickly. "Guess they didn't expect anyone to make it this far." She turned to Kid. "We need to be quick, before that guy comes back. How many guys are in each room?"

"Uh, looks like.. There's three in each of the middle ones, two on the door way at the end of the hallway, and four in the one closest to us."

"So, that leaves three empty rooms." Chara muttered. "I don't think we'll find what we're looking for in those ones, let's try the one at the end of the hall first."

They had only gone a few steps however, when one of the doors opened, revealing a skinny man, also casually dressed. His eyes widened upon seeing the two, but Chara bolted forward, planting a metal fist in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to fold over. A quick swipe at his legs, and he was on the ground, out of breath.

"Well, there goes the sneaky approach," Chara muttered, as the two other Humans in what appeared to be a barely furnished lounge, turned towards her at the disturbance. She started running towards them as they drew weapons, accessing her phone systems as she did so, calling both her mother's phone and Vigil's.

"We got spotted, gonna need your help!" she called, knocking one man's weapon out of his hand and quickly beating him to the ground. She turned to find the other one already aiming his pistol at her, a satisfied smirk on his lips.

"Headbutt tackle!" The unexpected cry threw the man off guard, and he hesitated just long enough for Kid to slam into him, head first, knocking him to the ground. The sudden impact made the gun go off, but the bullet flew harmlessly through the air, imbedding itself in the wall.

"Well, if they didn't know we were here already…" Chara raced back towards the door, kicking the Overwatch grunt she had taken down first back down as he attempted to rise. "Come on! We'll try the next door!"

Chara could make out the sounds of gunfire and panicked shouting from down below, signalling that their backup had already arrived. She didn't have time to dwell on that though, by the time she and Kid had reached the next room, more Overwatch thugs were coming out into the hallway, weapons ready.

She flung open a door and pulled Kid inside before any of the men could fire, slamming the door shut behind them, hoping to buy a few extra seconds. The room they had entered was darker, the only lights coming from various monitors set up around the walls. Several computers were set up along the wall to their left, as well as a few communication panels.

One man was typing frantically on a keyboard, while another was flicking switches on one of the panels. The rooms final occupant was cowering in the corner, hiding his head away behind his knees.

"Oh no you don't!" Chara growled, calling the men's souls from their bodies, halting their work at the unfamiliar sensation. She leapt towards them, cracking their skulls together and allowing them both to fall limply to the floor.

"Kid! See if you can hold the door against them for a minute!" The boy nodded and quickly slammed himself against the door, just as it started to open, digging his claws into the floor to give him better grip. The pressure from the other side increased suddenly, and he had to strain against the door to keep it from opening.

Chara was not idle in the meantime, pulling the flash drive from her pocket, then pausing, realizing she didn't know which of the computers she was supposed to go for. She opted for the one that the Human had been typing into, and shoved it into the USB port. Vigil had told her it was set up to immediately begin downloading data without any prompting, and she hoped he was right, for right at that moment, the door burst open, sending Kid stumbling back.

The first man through was dressed casually like the others, apparently Overwatch didn't believe in uniforms. But this one had patches sewn onto his shirt at the shoulders, each one bearing the sigil of a red x through a circle.

The man opened fire, and Chara instinctively grabbed Kid, shoving him out of the way as the bullets flew at her, bouncing off, but each one leaving a dent. Before she could launch her own attack however, Vigil crashed in through the ceiling, dust and debris showering down around him and obscuring her view of the Overwatch officer.

"Vigil! That's the officer!" Chara cried, though there was no sign of the man as the dust began to clear. The other Overwatch thugs had fallen back at Vigil's entrance, shouting in alarm.

Chara jerked back."Where'd he go?" she exclaimed.

"I see him!" Vigil called, launching himself at the Humans before they had a chance to react, pushing them out of the way of the door and towards the stairway. "Go after him, I'll secure the data, then come after you! Hurry!"

Chara was already running, Kid bolting after her. They were just in time to see the man pull open a window on the far side of the hallway and leap through it. Approaching it, it was revealed to lead to a fire escape on the back of the building, and the officer was tearing down the stairs, already nearing the ground. Kid and Chara wasted no time following him, and they hit the ground not long after the officer had done so, chasing after him as he sprinted towards an alleyway not far from they were.

They were unable to catch him before he entered it, and by the time the teens had reached it, there was no sign of him. This was an older part of the city, and the alleyways could twist in on themselves like a maze, if not for Kid's visor, the pursuit would have been futile. As it was…

"Yo, he went that way!" Kid called, pointing to the left side-alley they were fast approaching with his muzzle, his pace never slowing.

"He can't outrun us forever!" Chara growled, turning on an extra boost of speed and skidding into the new alleyway, her feet sending up small clouds of dirt with every impact on the ill-kept concrete.

After a few minutes of chasing him, Kid calling out directions every time they reached an intersection, they realized they were no longer the only ones chasing the man, as Vigil soared past overhead on his teal wings. The two teens turned on another burst of speed sprinting into another windy alleyway.

They quickly slowed to a stop however, seeing their quarry before them, leaning against a wall and panting heavily. Before they could challenge him, however, Vigil landed. The armored Shifter did not hesitate, lashing out with one arm and grabbing the officer by his collar and slamming him into the wall, holding him up enough that his feet dangled just above the ground.

"You know who I am," Vigil growled. "Tell me, where have your people taken the prince?"

Chara and Kid approached slowly, watching as the Human glared down at Vigil with pure hatred in his eyes, before spitting on the man's helmet.

"I would rather die than give you anything, you filth," he sneered.

Vigil was silent for a moment, wiping away the man's saliva with his free hand. Then he lowered him to the ground.

"I believe you," he said quietly.

Before either of the onlookers even had a chance to blink, Vigil's tail lashed out with blinding speed, impaling the Human through the middle of his chest. The man gave a choked gasp, staring down in disbelief at the thick limb now protruding from his body, blood beginning to stain the grey tail. Vigil whipped his tail away, flinging the man's body to the other side of the alleyway, away from Chara and Kid. The Human crashed and sprawled across the ground, unmoving.

Kid's eyes were wide with shock, and his gaze flicked from the corpse, to Vigil's blood-stained tail. He began to shake, and Chara quickly grabbed him, moving herself so she was blocking both the sights that had transfixed him and forcing him to look into her eyes.

"Kid? Kid!" She shook him, finally managing to fully lock his gaze on her own.

"Chara?" He asked, his voice trembling. "I… he..."

"Listen to me. I need you to go back to the warehouse, and check on my parents. Make sure that we've got access to the data. We need that if we're going to get Frisk back. Can you do that?"

Kid slowly blinked, and his vision seemed to clear.

"Uh, right! I'll get on that!"

"Go. Be quick, and don't stop for anything." Chara kissed the tip of his muzzle quickly to bolster him, then stepped back, allowing Kid to turn and bolt away without a backwards glance.

Then Chara turned her attention to Vigil who was watching her silently. She took a step towards him, her red eyes blazing with anger.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she hissed through clenched teeth.

"He was the most influential man in the base. If he would not work with us, then I could not risk-"

"I don't care that you killed him," Chara snapped, cutting Vigil off. "Those bastards deserve everything they get for what they've done. But you killed him right in front of Kid. Yyou could have told us to leave, or let the guy go and take him out after we went back. But you didn't."

"I could not allow-"

"You don't get it, do you? You claim that you fight to protect Monsters, but what I just saw says otherwise. Kid is… everything about Monsters that you should be fighting to protect. Innocent. Trusting. Accepting. Kind-hearted. It's the job of the fighters like you and me to preserve that, as much as it is for us to keep them safe. He's only known you a little while, yet thinks you're cool and so he looks up to you.

"And then you butchered someone right in front of him. How do you think that's going to affect him? How do you think that's going to wound him? You might as well have stabbed him instead. It would have been more merciful."

Vigil was silent under her verbal barrage, and as it ended, he bowed his head.

"You… are correct." His voice was strained, and wavered slightly. "I am sorry." He tightened the hands at his sides into fists. "It seems I have grown too accustomed to fighting on my own. This... is not something I should have lost sight of."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to," Chara snarled, turning and stalking stiffly away. "Come on," she called, though she did not look to see if Vigil followed. "Let's see if there's anything we can salvage out of this disaster."


	21. Shifters (Part 5)

"Yo, you sure you're gonna be okay?"

Chara and Kid stood just outside the boy's home. After they had left the Overwatch outpost and called Undyne in to clean up the place, Vigil had left, apparently to speak to someone about decoding the information they had managed to recover. While her parents had returned to their home, Chara had elected to bring Kid away from the whole ordeal for a while.

"I'll be fine, might have to spring for a new shirt though, this one's gotten a bit… holey."

Kid didn't look convinced.

"Yo, but there's a bunch of dents on you from where you got shot! Doesn't that hurt?"

"Not really," Chara lied, managing a smile. "Anyways, I'll get Alphys to take a look at me once all this is done. Not really time for that now."

"About that…" Kid looked away for a moment. "I can still come and help… if you want."

Chara's smile turned gentle, and she couldn't help but feel touched. Kid obviously didn't want to come along again, and yet here he was, offering her his support.

"I think we'll be able to handle this one, babe." Her expression shifted to one of concern. "Are _you_ alright?"

"I... don't really know," Kid admitted, lowering his gaze. "I mean, it was exciting but…"

"Yeah." Anger flashed in Chara's eyes for a brief moment, fortunately unseen by the boy who still had his gaze fixed on the ground.

"Well, when I get back, we can spend some time together alright? Just you and me. But in the meantime;" she continued, as Kid finally looked back at her. "I called Papyrus while we were heading back. He says he's willing to hang out with you for a while, if you want."

"Yo, really?" Kid asked, perking slightly at the news. "That'd be really cool!"

"I thought you might like that." Chara grinned. "Better be careful though, it sounds like he already has stuff planned for you…"

"Really? That's awesome! Can I go now, or…?"

"If I know Papyrus, he's already ready and waiting for you. Go on, have some fun, okay?"

"Alright!" Kid made as if to run off, then stopped and looked at the mechanical girl.

"Yo… thanks."

"You're welcome. Now off with you!"

Kid laughed and dashed away, leaving Chara feeling warm, satisfied with how she had handled the situation. Out of anyone, Papyrus would be able to cheer him up. She'd talk to him later, see if she could figure out how bad the damage was.

Maybe I'm worrying too much, She thought, striding back out onto the sidewalk. This is Kid we're talking about… he's almost as good at bouncing back as Papyrus is. Still…

She shook her head and quickened her pace. Hopefully, everything would work out. But she wasn't about to take any risks with Kid. Not now, not ever.

 

It wasn't long before she reached her home, and she slipped inside , quickly checking both the dining room and the kitchen for any signs of her parents, and finding none. Walking into the living room however, she found Vigil, standing near the far end of the room, facing the wall. She narrowed her eyes at him, then called;

"Vigil? Where are my parents?"

Vigil turned at her voice, his head lowered slightly, as if he was having trouble meeting her gaze.

"I believe they went out into the garden." the black-armored man replied, quietly. "They appeared to need some time after the fight, though they told me to tell them as soon as I had anything."

"I thought you left to deal with that. Why are you back if it's not done yet?"

"My contact is working on decoding the information we managed to retrieve as we speak. If he finds anything, he'll let me know. There was no reason to remain with him, and I would like to be able to inform you all the moment I have anything, so I returned here."

"I see." Chara was quiet for a moment, then she spoke slowly. "Vigil… why are you here?"

Vigil raised his head to look at her full on.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to know if I can trust you," the robot stated bluntly. "If you're really here to help, then I appreciate it… despite what happened earlier. But the way you came so fast, how Mom and Dad seemed to trust you right away, all your contacts that you refuse to talk about… it all feels very convenient."

"I… understand your caution." Vigil seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment before continuing, his tone soft. "I am afraid I am… used to working in the shadows, and keeping secrets, since those who ally with me are inevitably put into danger. I will admit to having some goals of my own in this venture, but I assure you, rescuing your brother is my top priority."

"And what do you want from all this?"

"Information, mostly," was the reply. "So far, we have been more successful at finding Overwatch in this area than I have ever been. And wherever your brother is being kept, it will be a far more important place than a minor communications outpost. I hope to learn more about who is backing them, where their other strongholds are, their other plans..."

"You seem very dedicated to bringing Overwatch down," Chara noted.

"They have hounded my people for centuries, and I have spent all my life fighting them. I would see their end, and I would see Monsters able to live without fear. These are my goals. This is what drives me."

"I see. I have one other question for you, then."

"And that is?"

Chara leaned forward.

"You said you saw Frisk being taken. Why were you there in the first place?"

"I had received word from a contact that Overwatch was planning a major operation in the area, and I was trying to find out what it was. I noticed your brother, though I did not recognize him at first glance. He was being carried into the back of an ambulance by a couple of paramedics."

"What?" Chara exploded. "You didn't say anything about that!"

"I believe the ambulance was merely a cover, though he did appear to be unconscious when he was being brought in. I would not have realized it was a fake, had I not caught a glimpse of Overwatch's symbol emblazoned on the inside. I tried to chase after them, but to no avail."

"Why didn't you use your wings?" Chara demanded. "I saw you flying, you would have been able to catch up in no time!"

"I was in my human form at the time. By the time I had ducked into a safe spot and shifted, I lost them. Perhaps I should have blown my cover, but I had not yet realized that it was Frisk who had been taken. I did not think it was worth the risk."

"Why did it matter? Can't you just change to another form?"

"No, I only have one Human form. Unlike in my other states, when I am fully physical, I have no magic with which to alter myself. Which means-"

He stopped as his helmet began to buzz. He pressed a finger to the side of his head, turning away from Chara.

"What? You have it already?" He paused, listening for a moment. "I'm impressed, do you have the co-ordinates for me, then? No, no I never doubted your work, if I did, I wouldn't come to you. Just send me the… wait. Are you sure about this? Those co-ordinates, they're exactly the same as… as…"

Vigil's free hand tightened into a fist, and his tail began to writhe about behind him in agitation.

"That _bastard_." He breathed. Chara looked to him curiously as he slowly unclenched his grip, and stilled his tail.

"No, it's fine. I'll deal with it. Thank you for being so prompt. Goodbye." He removed his finger from the side of his helmet, and stared at the wall before him for a moment.

"What was that about?" Chara asked.

"It would appear that I have been played for the fool." Vigil replied quietly. "And it is possible that we are about to walk into a trap."

"Well, spit it out!"

Vigil looked to the agitated girl, his tail twitching slightly.

"One of my contacts. I have known his family for three generations, and each one, a member of his family agrees to work with me. Their only request has always been that I leave the rest of their family out of the equations, and not to trespass on the grounds of their estate outside the city. And that estate… is where Frisk is apparently being kept."

"What?"

"No wonder I have never been able to find any Overwatch strongholds in this area!" Vigil began to pace, his armored feet making dull thumping noises on the carpet, and his tail coiling and uncoiling about his waist as if it had a mind of its own. "One of the largest ones was under my very nose, and my best contacts have been Overwatch agents! They must have given me just enough correct information so I would not grow suspicious, and kept me running around in circles!"

"Well, you can have a chat with him after we get Frisk back." Chara headed towards the door leading out to the garden.

"It is not that simple." Chara stopped and turned to Vigil as he spoke.

"What do you mean?

"He is the one who told me that there was an important Overwatch operation taking place in the city." Vigil replied. "I don't know why they would tell me about this, but when we get there, they may well be expecting us. Frisk may not even actually be there."

"We don't have much choice, do we?" Chara shot back. "This is the only lead we have, right? Whatever it is they're planning, we'll handle it. And this time…" Her right eye began to glow with power.

"I don't have to hold back."


	22. Shifters (Final)

Half an hour later, Toriel, Asgore and Chara exited the city in the family van, following the breadcrumbs they hoped would lead them to Frisk.

After giving them the location of the Overwatch stronghold, Vigil had taken off, saying that he would scout out the estate, and see if he could find anything to confirm his suspicions.

Since then, silence wrapped the rest of the family, each alone with their own thoughts.

Chara stared out the window, watching the landscape roll past, lost in thoughts of Frisk. He was obnoxious, and teased way too much for his own good. She could even admit that his teasing was sometimes good for her. Sometimes. Beyond that, he had saved her! Despite his many, many, many flaws, she loved him. One thing was for certain. She could not take losing another brother.

 

Toriel pulled the van over at the side of the road, unbuckling herself and exiting the vehicle. Her husband and daughter followed suit. Small puffs of powdery grit were kicked up into the air with each step on the dirt road. They had left the highway some time ago.

"This is the right place, correct?" Asgore asked, looking around at the massive pine trees growing all about them. Chara nodded slowly in response.

"This is as close as we can get in the van, anyways." She pointed north, where the trees were more sparse, and called up the internal note she'd left for herself, not wanting to risk forgetting Vigil's instructions.

"The estate is up ahead. Shouldn't be too far, I'd guess maybe a ten, twenty minute walk, tops. It's in the middle of a big clearing."

"Then let us go." Toriel immediately headed in the direction Chara had pointed, her white-furred feet brushing across the carpet of fallen pine needles. "Hopefully, we will meet Vigil on the way."

It was a lovely day, which put Chara out a bit as she followed her parents through the sunlit forest. They were about to attack a stronghold of Monster-hating fanatics, who might very well know they were coming. The outpost hadn't been too difficult to take down, but she guessed this wouldn't be as easy. At least she wasn't going to have to look out for Kid this time. It seemed wrong that despite all this, the sun shone merrily overhead.

The trees around them began to thin, and Chara managed to catch glimpses of what she assumed was the building they were targeting. It was very large, with walls made of wood and several massive, decorative windows.

The group slowed their approach, not wanting to be spotted prematurely, though there didn't appear to be anyone outside the building.

"There you are." The family started, whirling to see Vigil appear from behind one of the thicker trees, his wings folded behind him, and his tail twitching slightly.

"What have you found?" Toriel asked quickly.

"Not as much as I'd like," Vigil admitted. "There are no obvious security measures, though I would not expect there to be such. They would not want to rouse my suspicions about this place. Other than that, all I can tell you is that there are definitely quite a few people inside, and the place has three floors."

"So we could still be walking into a trap," Chara muttered.

"Yes. I'm afraid I haven't seen anything of Frisk either. Hopefully he is being held here, but…"

"I suppose we will find out when we get there," Toriel said quietly, looking towards the building in the distance." Vigil hesitated for a moment, then said quietly;

"Before we attack, you may wish to consider the implications here. It occurred to me that if this truly is a trap, then they may try to make this look like Monsters attacked Humans unprovoked, which could lead to… difficulties."

"It thought you didn't concern yourself with the political aspect," Chara noted wryly.

"Usually I don't have to. But I'm not working on my own right now, so I must consider more than I usually do."

Toriel and Asgore looked at each other before Toriel gave a little nod. Asgore stepped forward.

"We will deal with that when the time comes," he rumbled. "For now, Frisk is our only priority."

Vigil bowed low in response.

"As you wish. In that case, I would suggest an attack strategy, if I may?"

"Go ahead."

"Whatever it is we will find in there, we must be swift. We need to find out if your son is there, and if he isn't, see if we can find out where he is, and what Overwatch's counterattack will be. To that end, we need to cover as much ground as we can, as quickly as possible.

"I can reach the top floor with no difficulty. You will have to enter through the main doors on the other side of the building. I would suggest that two of you search the ground floor, while someone goes up to the second and searches there. Hopefully, we can find your son quickly, and if not, we can work our way through the floors, see if they have him hidden anywhere. It's possible they have hidden rooms or basement entrances, so be on the lookout for those."

Toriel and Asgore were both nodding as Vigil spoke.

"I believe that will suffice," Toriel murmured. "Chara, your father and I can take the ground floor, while you deal with the second."

"Got it."

"One more thing before we begin, then." Asgore said quietly, looking at his daughter. "When we go in there, I want you to promise me that you will not expose their souls when you fight them."

Chara stared at her father incredulously.

"Why not?" she demanded. "Don't tell me we're going easy on them!"

"We're not," Toriel replied. "But we don't want you killing anyone either." Toriel raised a hand, stalling Chara's next outburst. "I know you're angry, but our goal here is to get Frisk back. We can deal with the rest later, understand?"

Chara bit back a growl, looking away for a moment before reluctantly nodding.

"Fine," she bit out. "Let's just go then."

"Very well," Vigil intoned. "When you are in position, I will strike first, then you will follow. May fortune favor us all."

 

"Ready?" Toriel whispered, crouched just next to Asgore and Chara at the edge of the trees surrounding the house. As they both nodded at her, she looked to where Vigil stood some distance away and gave him a firm nod.

The Shifter sprang into the air immediately, flapping hard to gain speed. He rocketed towards the highest level of the house, wrapping his wings about him in a protective cocoon and spinning at the last moment, smashing through the wooden wall with a loud crash.

"Well, that's certainly one way to do it," Asgore remarked, calling his trident into his hands as they lost sight of Vigil, and heard shouts of alarm coming from the house. "Let's go add to the chaos, shall we?"

Chara already had a knife in each hand, and she sprinted for the large, ornate double doors set before them, both her parents hot on her heels. She checked the door handle, grateful to find it unlocked, and the door swung open easily under her touch.

Inside was a large, spacious room, ornate paintings lining the walls and various rugs arranged neatly on the hardwood floor. There was a door on either side of the room, and each flung open as Humans milled about in panic, shouting in fear, and fumbling with their weapons upon sight of the invaders. But Chara focussed on the large stairway in the middle of the room that lead up to the next floor.

**Well, that's convenient.** Chara thought. Then she started, cursing herself for forgetting as she bolted for the stairs, Asgore letting out a mighty roar that shook the entire house behind her. **Frisk? Frisk, are you there?**

There was no response. He either wasn't here, or he wasn't conscious. Still, they hadn't come this far for nothing. With that in mind, she sprinted up the stairs, sparing a moment to glance around her next surroundings, which appeared to be another large room, with a few small decorative tables and cabinets scattered about. She darted to the closest door she saw, only to have it burst open in her face, sending her stumbling back.

A man and a woman stood before her, both dressed in jeans and t-shirts with the officer's insignia sewn into their shoulders. They already had handguns drawn and they fired instinctively at their aim was wild, a few managed to hit their mark.

She grunted in pain, then called upon her magic, striking at the man with a beam of energy from one knife tip. He yelped, and she ducked in close, retracting the beam and sinking the blade of one knife into the woman's side, simultaneously shoulder checking the man so he stumbled back.

She let her knives fade and quickly knocked both of their weapons to the floor, crushing them underfoot. A swift flurry of blows later, and both the Humans were laid out unconscious on the floor and she was on the move again, calling her weapons back to her.

She found herself in a short hallway with doors lining either side,and one large one at the end. She checked every door, sweeping the room inside with a quick glance before moving on to the next. They all appeared to be bedrooms, not much differentiating them from the next, each holding four bunk beds on either side of the room and a small foot locker.

While there didn't appear to be any others around her, the sound of battle from above and below was increasing . She could hear shouts, screams and gunfire, occasionally punctuated by Asgore's angry roars. She could barely suppress a shudder at each one.

She had never seen her father angry before. When she had fought him in this timeline, which was the only time she and Frisk had ever gotten that far, he had fought with sad resignation, not anger. She had only heard of his anger after she and Asriel had died, but never seen it for herself. It was hard to believe that the gentle, kind Monster she knew was capable of producing that terrifying sound.

Refocusing on the task before her, she found herself at the far end of the hallway beside the last door. If he wasn't here, she'd have to check the other side of this level. She opened the door, and her eyes widened at the sight inside this far more ornate bedroom.

There was Frisk, lying prone on a large bed, hooked up to two different machines that beeped quietly to themselves. His shirt was torn and bloodstained, one of his eyes was swollen and a light shade of purple, and his right arm was covered in bandages, but he was there.

Standing next to him was another man, his back to Chara. It seemed that he loaded a pistol, his movements made jerky with haste and desperation. Chara narrowed her eyes at him and stepped into the room, walking towards him, anger blazing in her red eyes.

"What did you do to him?!" she demanded. In response, the man whirled around, bright blue eyes wide in fear and hatred, sweat beading on his brow and trickling down his face, wetting his beard.

He pointed the gun at her, taking a step back, and Chara realized with a start that this one was a lot bigger than the others. While her knowledge on this kind of weaponry was limited at best, she was pretty sure that thing would be able to cause more damage than the other firearms she had encountered. She would have to-

There was the explosive noise of a gun firing. A choked gasp of surprise and pain. The sound of metal clattering onto hardwood floor.

Chara blinked. The man before her was staring in bewilderment at his now empty hand, the gun he had been holding lying on the floor, dented and broken. She turned slowly, to see another man, just shorter than her, with black hair and piercing green eyes, lowering his own pistol.

"Who are you?" the robot demanded, twisting her body and stepping back so both men were within her field of vision.

"My name is Aaron." The black haired man stepped into the room, then slowly placed his gun to the ground in front of him. "I'm Vigil's contact."

Chara narrowed her eyes at him.

"The one that works for these guys?" She gestured at the other man, who was still staring blankly at his hand. Aaron lowered his head.

"I'm afraid so. But recent events have… changed my perspective. I'm also the one who let Vigil know that Overwatch was planning something big, and disabled most of the security cameras so you could take us by surprise."

"That was you?!" The other man yelled, his eyes bright with rage as he finally found his voice, glaring at Aaron. "You betrayed us!"

"The first betrayal was yours, Jake," Aaron shot back. "You led us to this."

"I have done nothing but strengthen Humanity! You would side with these… these creatures?"

"I looked the other way when you started sending us out against Humans who accepted Monsters," Aaron retorted. "But this? Kidnapping a teenager and experimenting on him in some… vain hope that it'll give us magic somehow? How long until you start turning on us too?"

"Anyone who consorts with Monsters is no better than they are!" Jake roared, flecks of spit flying from his lips. "No better than you are, traitor!"

Aaron shook his head, slowly falling to his knees and placing his hands on the back of his neck.

"I want no part in this anymore." He looked to Chara, who noted with surprise that his gaze was steady and calm. "I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a big fan of Monsters. But if this is the direction that Overwatch is taking, maybe it's time for me to re-think my my choices. I surrender."

Jake leapt towards the kneeling man with a cry, only to be intercepted by Chara's arm. Metal limbs thudded into flesh and she tossed the Human across the room to smack against the wall and slide down into a sitting position, a dazed look on his face.

"Don't bother getting up." Chara growled. She turned her attention back to Aaron who was watching quietly. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't. I can't even say I'd be all that useful, I wasn't high enough on the rankings to get most of the information. But I'm not going to fight you." He gave a small shrug. "Take that as you will."

Chara quickly grabbed the gun that had been lying in front of Aaron and tossed it out the window. When the man made no move to stop her, she turned away from him and walked over to Frisk. She paused for a moment, her hand hesitating just over the needles that attached him to the machines. Then she pulled it back, unwilling to risk unplugging him from something that might prove fatal for him.

"You might want to get rid of those sooner rather than later." Aaron recommended. "Whatever's being pumped into his system can't be pleasant."

"What is being put into him?" the mechanical girl asked, turning her head to look back at the former Overwatch member.

"I wasn't involved in this project. I know they were trying to keep him alive, but I also know the plans to re-awaken his magic were… unorthodox."

"He never had magic." Chara snarled.

"If you say so."

Chara took a moment to check Frisk's pulse and his breathing. He definitely wasn't conscious, but she thought his pulse felt mostly normal, and his breathing was steady, so that was good, at least. She bit her lip, hesitant to trust this man who so calmly surrendered to her, but she also didn't want him attached to those machines any longer than necessary. Reaching a decision, she carefully pulled the needles from his body, trying not to disturb them too much.

Frisk jerked as they were removed, and his pulse quickened for a moment, but he didn't wake up, and his heart rate quickly returned to normal. Chara looked at the needles she held, noting the pal blue liquid dripping from the tips. She tossed them to the floor and smashed them with her foot, internally crowing with triumph,. In the back of her mind, she noticed that the sounds of battle had gotten a lot quieter, though they had not completely disappeared.

Then she walked over to where Jake was still sitting against the wall, trying to stand. She pushed him back down roughly.

"I said, don't try and get up," she snapped. "You-"

"Chara!"

At the sound of her name, the girl looked up to see Toriel standing in the doorway. The Boss Monster looked at her for a moment, before turning and calling down the hallway.

"Asgore! We found him!"

Chara stepped away from Jake, clenching her hands into fists as Toriel approached Frisk's bed, sparing only a brief glance at where Aaron knelt. Her clothes were mussed and her face bore a couple of scratches, but she seemed mostly fine.

"Frisk…" There were so many emotions in her voice as she said her son's name, it was difficult to distinguish them all. Before she could continue, there was the sound of heavy footsteps and Asgore burst in, his trident still gripped in his hands.

His gaze fell first to the two Humans.

"Who are you?" he demanded, looking ready to strike. Aaron looked up at him.

"My name is Aaron. I was Vigil's contact here. That one," He gestured with his head towards the other Human. "Is Jake. He's the leader of this base. He's the one who initiated the project to kidnap your son."

"Traitor!" Jake howled, though there was more fear than anger in his tone now, as the gazes of the three non-humans centred on him.

"It was you?" Chara hissed, stepping forward. "I'll-"

"Chara." Toriel's voice was calm, though it held a core of steel within it. Chara looked to her in confusion.

"Your father and I will handle this," she said quietly. "I need you to bring Frisk home so that he can be properly tended to."

"But Mom-"

"Papyrus has some healing magic. Bring Frisk home, then call him in. He'll be more than happy to help."

"I know you don't like driving the van," Asgore added. "But you need to get Frisk to safety. Your mother and I will finish things up here, then we will meet you back at the house."

Chara made as if to argue further, then stopped. Instead, she reached over the bed, tenderly lifted her brother, and walked out of the room. The former royals then looked to Aaron.

"Do you wish to harm us?" Toriel asked quietly. Aaron shook his head.

"Then go. If you want to help, I believe Vigil is still upstairs. Or you may leave, if you wish. Either way, I want you out of here."

Aaron nodded, then stood, keeping his hands behind his head as he walked out of the room.

Now that they were alone, Toriel turned her full attention to the man cowering before her.

"So," she began while Asgore went and shut the door, then came to stand next to his wife, both of them towering over the fallen Human. "You are the one responsible for taking my son."

 

"Yo, Papyrus, I didn't know you had healing magic!"

Kid stared in awe at the skeleton Monster, who was currently holding his hands over Frisk's body where he lay on the couch in Chara's living room. Papyrus's skull was creased in concentration while magic gently emerged from his fingertips.

"But of course! The great Papyrus is fluent in many magics!" The skeleton smiled at Kid briefly, before returning his attention to his work. "Lady Toriel has been teaching me healing magic over the past few months! And what better opportunity to use my talent than to help my cool friend?"

"How is he?" Chara asked quietly from where she knelt on the other side of the couch, her arms and head resting on the armrest as she looked down at her brother.

"Not well at all!" The other two jerked at this exclamation, staring at Papyrus in concern. "His magic levels are dangerously low! If I didn't know better, I would say he doesn't have any!"

Chara and Kid looked at each other for a moment.

"Papyrus… you do remember that Humans don't have magic anymore, right?" Chara said slowly. The skeleton stared at her blankly for a moment, before slapping a hand to his skull.

"Oh! Right! I always forget about that!" He hesitated for a moment. "Er… in that case, he's going to be completely fine! And that's not just baseless conjecture!"

"Mom hasn't taught you how healing Humans works yet, has she?"

"Not… as such." Papyrus admitted. "But this isn't the first time Frisk has had a Sans-induced nap! He'll wake up soon enough, Papyrus guaranteed!"

As if on cue, there was a groan from the prone boy turning everyone's attention to him. Frisk's unswollen eye opened and he let out another groan, reaching his unbandaged hand up to rub at his forehead.

"Oh man… I-" He stopped, looking at the excited faces around him.

"Yo! Frisk! You're okay!" Kid bounced up and down, unable to contain his excitement. "You had me worried for a minute there, haha!"

"Good to see you joining us in the land of the living," Chara smiled.

"Frisk! My dear friend, I am very happy to see you awake again!"

Frisk looked around in confusion for a moment, then he let a grin cross his features.

"You guys… you rescued me?"

"Course we did, bro, What would I do without your constant teasing?"

"You'd be bored out of your mind." Frisk chuckled. He rubbed his bandaged arm and winced.

"Have I mentioned that I really don't like needles?"

"Only four or five hundred times." Came the amused response. Then Chara frowned in concern.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I got hit by a bus." Frisk admitted, wincing slightly. "I'm going to have to complain to their manager later. I mean, the building itself easily gets five stars, but the room service was terrible!"

"Always with the jokes." Chara shook her head in exasperation.

There was the sound of a door opening and shutting, and Chara smiled, and stepped away from the couch.

"Papyrus, Kid, you guys might wanna get out of the way," she warned. "I think Mom and Dad just got home and… I don't think you want to be between them and Frisk when they see him."

Sure enough, just a few moments later, Toriel and Asgore raced into the room, and seeing their son, immediately went to him, kneeling by the couch.

"Frisk!"

He managed a slightly pained smile.

"I'm fine, guys. Alright, so I'm a little sore, but…"

His voice trailed off as Toriel laid her hands on him, sending healing magic flowing through the boy. He close his eye and sighed in contentment at the warm feeling of the restoring power flowing through him.

In just a few minutes, the swelling on the boy's face had gone down, and the cuts and bruises crossing his body had faded completely. Frisk was able to open both eyes this time and smile warmly at his mother.

"Thanks Mom."

"You are welcome," Toriel replied tenderly, gathering up the unresisting Human into her arms and hugging him tight. "I am just glad you are home!"

"Wowie! I can't wait until I can heal people as quickly as you, your Majesty!"

Toriel smiled up at the excitable skeleton.

"You're already doing very well so far. I'm sure it's only a matter of time, and practice."

"Of course! The great Papyrus can accomplish any task he puts his mind to!" Papyrus enthused.

Toriel gave a soft laugh and released Frisk who sat up fully, only to be embraced by his father.

"Looks like there's a line, huh?" Frisk chuckled, returning Asgore's embrace. He grinned cheekily up at Chara. "Are you next, sis?"

"Don't push your luck, brother," Chara warned, though her smile took any sting out of her words. "We both know you're going to make me regret rescuing your sorry hide soon enough. Let's not start that process too soon, alright?"

"You wound me deep."

Chara shook her head at him, then looked over to her mother.

"Mom… can I talk to you for a moment?"

Toriel nodded, and they both walked to the other side of the room, just far away enough that quiet conversation would not be overheard.

"How did it go after I left?"

"Fairly smoothly. We had already defeated most of them by the time I found you. It seemed they didn't have any extra surprises in store for us."

"I wanted to mention that… This place was supposed to be an Overwatch stronghold, right? Should it… really have been that easy for us to defeat them?"

"I actually spoke with Vigil about that before we left. He seemed to think that they would have had a smaller garrison here to keep him from getting suspicious about the place. Add in the element of surprise, and we had the advantage, at least in tactical terms. Still," Toriel hesitated more moment before saying;

"It is strange to see how far the balance has shifted. During the war, we could not fell a single Human, and here, the four of us took down thirty or forty of them with little difficulty."

"I'd rather have the power in our hands than theirs." Chara muttered. "We've already seen what happens when they have it."

"True enough. I do not think Overwatch anticipated how much the balance has shifted either. If we run into them again, they may well be more prepared."

"You think they'll try something again?"

"Vigil seemed to think that this was not their main headquarters, and I would have to agree. This was a severe blow to them, I am sure, but they have not been completely defeated, I am sure of it."

Chara gave quiet hum of thought."Speaking of Vigil, where is he?"

"He left not long after you did," Toriel informed Chara. "He brought that one man… Aaron, I think, with him too. He told us that his part in this was done, and he had other work to do."

"I see." Chara's eyes flicked over to Frisk, who now had Kid seated next to him, excitedly informing him about what had happened while he was gone. "Do you think we'll run into him again?"

"I do not know," the Boss Monster admitted. "But if Overwatch makes another move, then we may well see him again"

"One thing's for sure, the next Monster-Human relations meeting's going to be an absolute nightmare."

"We will handle it," Toriel assured. "For now though, we have Frisk back, and that's what's most important.

Chara nodded in silent agreement. For now, at least, their ordeal was over. But if Overwatch or anyone else tried to pull a stunt like this again, there would be hell to pay.


	23. The Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have no idea how excited I am for this. The concept for this chapter is the reason Armless Embrace is even a thing. Hope you enjoy!

Chara dove to the side, narrowly avoiding Kid's flames before hurling two orbs of red energy at the boy. He stumbled as he tried to dodge them, causing both to crash into his body. Fortunately, he'd been toughened up a lot since they had started sparring, and he only let out a grunt of pain at the impact.

Kid narrowed his eyes at her, and spat out three long gouts of flame. Chara froze, not even daring to breathe.

The blue fire swiftly passed her, then collided with the ground behind. Each flame exploded into smaller, orange fire, chasing her down. She ran, her metal feet pounding into the hard earth beneath her.

But Kid was not done. Even as the orange flames came towards her from behind, he fired three more bolts of blue flame at her. She had to move through the orange magic, but she couldn't move through the blue.

The robot dropped, tucking herself as small as possible and rolled, passing under a bolt of blue. She rose swiftly , already moving before the orange fire could hit her.

She grinned at Kid as the attack faded.

"You're really getting better at this, babe!" Kid let a smile broaden across his muzzle before he widened his stance, bracing himself.

"Thanks! Hey, I've been working on a new attack. You wanna see it?"

"Go for it!" Chara enthused, crouching low and watching Kid's movements carefully.

Kid inhaled deeply, then breathed out, his mouth opening wide.

Stars flew from his open maw, starting small, but quickly growing until each was the size of a basketball. They flew at Chara in a haphazard pattern, each one surrounded in an aura of either blue or orange.

Chara's eyes widened, her attention caught by the stars. Kid had never managed anything more than orange or blue magic, which was more limited than the normal kind. And while each star was surrounded by the weaker magic, the stars themselves...

She was forced out of her thoughts, as the attack came upon her. She moved swiftly, trying to stay close to the orange magic. If she got caught in the blue, she wouldn't be able to evade the attacks.

The haphazard pattern of the stars made it difficult to stay near the orange ones, and she quickly found herself caught in a blue aura. On impulse, she moved herself into the stars path, wincing as the blue flames licked at her.

The star impacted her full on, sending her staggering back. She gave a grunt, and quickly twisted her body to avoid the next star, making an note to avoid trying that again. That star… that had hurt almost as bad as Undyne's spears. In her Undying form.

At last, Kid closed his mouth, and the last of the stars passed Chara by, fading into nothingness not far past her. Kid was panting heavily in the aftermath of his attack, the glow of magic fading from him, leaving him shadowed in the dying light. Chara looked over at him, her eyes shining brightly in the dark.

"That was… incredible." She breathed, taking a few steps towards her boyfriend. "I've never seen you do anything like this before, how did you _do_ that?"

Kid stood straight again, a happy gleam in his eyes and a grin spreading across his muzzle.

"That, was my Special Attack!" he said proudly, though his tone conveyed exhaustion as well as triumph.

Chara's eyes widened and she let out a tiny, involuntary gasp.

"You… have one of those? What… how?"

Kid sat on the ground, shaking his head in an effort to dislodge the sweat now dripping down his face. Chara walked over and sat beside him, awaiting his explanation.

"You know how Monsters have to discharge their magic buildup, right?" Kid asked as he got his breathing slightly more under control.

"Yeah, Monster bodies generate enough magic to sustain your form, and give you enough left over to fight," Chara replied. "Since you generate more than you need, if you don't discharge the build up every couple of days, you overcharge, and lose control of your magic. I don't have that problem, since the magic I use to fight is separate from the magic that helps power my body."

"Exactly! And if someone overcharges, their magic's a lot more powerful… except you can't control it."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Chara asked carefully.

Kid started bouncing excitedly.

"Special Attacks are really rare, they're even more rare than soul effects! But they're also uh… kinda dangerous," his grin turned sheepish. "I uh, got a little too close to overcharging a couple weeks ago… and when I went to discharge… that happened." He gave a short laugh. "Good thing no-one else was around!"

"So, wait, you have to be close to overcharging to use it? How's that useful in a fight, when you could lose control of your magic?"

"Well, Monsters can also deliberately try to overcharge themselves! We just don't do it, cause it's only good if you have a Special Attack. While we were sparring, I was building up my energy to the point where I could use it!"

"Is that why when I fought Papyrus a-" Chara paused, just catching herself. "Papyrus, he didn't try to use it until the end? He was building up his energy that whole time?"

Kid nodded vigorously.

"Yeah! It also uh… kinda takes a lot of magic to use. I talked to Undyne about it, and she told me that you're supposed to whittle down an enemy before using a Special Attack, cause if the attack doesn't beat them, you won't have enough magic left over to keep fighting."

"Huh." Chara's brows knitted in concern. "It does sound dangerous. What happens if you overcharge before you get a chance to use your attack?"

Kid's grin turned sheepish.

"Uh, then I'm in trouble," he admitted. "I have to be really careful with it. Undyne says I should only use it to practice, or when I don't have any other choice."

"Watch yourself, alright?" Chara said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I don't want you to end up hurting yourself over this."

"Don't worry Chara!" Kid leaned closer and pressed himself against her. "I promise, I'll be careful. I wouldn't have done it out here if the park wasn't closed off today."

Chara chuckled, returning the hug, then standing. Kid swiftly got to his feet as well.

"Yeah, we've got the whole park all to ourselves. Though I think the skate park is a better place to spar."

"It's not as pretty though," Kid said, looking around the large forested area they stood in, smiling. "It was a good idea to come out here, Chara."

"When do I have any other kind?" Chara grinned, earning a laugh from Kid. "Come on," she continued, looking at the sky which was almost fully dark now. "We should get to that little hill over there, I want a good spot when the stars come out!"

The two walked side-by-side to the top of the hill, and sat down together, staring up at the sky. Chara leaned back, supporting her weight with her arms as she looked up. Kid, not being able to do the same thing, instead leaned against her shoulder, his warm body feeling nice against her smooth metal.

There were only a few stars at first, but they quickly multiplied. Here, in the middle of the city park, they were far away enough from the light pollution that far more of the tiny pinpricks of light were visible than usual.

Stealing a glance at her boyfriend, who seemed transfixed by the sight before him, she made a mental note to take him somewhere with no light but the stars on a night like this, so he could see the wondrous tapestries she remembered from the days before she had fallen into the Underground.

"It's so pretty," Kid whispered, an undercurrent of awe in his tone. Chara smiled softly at him, watching him crane his neck backwards in an effort to keep the entire skyscape in his vision.

"It never gets old, does it?" she murmured, and the yellow-scaled Monster shook his head in silent agreement.

"I can't believe we thought those glowing rocks in the Underground were actual stars," Kid continued. "This is so much better."

They sat in silence together for a while, each content just to be near the other, sharing the view of the glittering masterpiece laid out above them. Chara was certain that Kid was never going to take that sight for granted.

"I can't believe summer's already halfway over," she said finally. "It's only another couple years and then we're done with school."

"I guess so…" Kid mumbled, not lowering his gaze. "I hadn't really thought about it…"

Chara cast her gaze on him, enjoying how the light from her eyes reflected on her boyfriend's scales.

"You haven't?" she questioned. "Don't you have any plans for what you want to do after high school? I've never heard you talking about a job or anything… there must be something you want to do."

The boy shrugged, his soft shirt sliding against her shoulder.

"I don't know… I was kind of planning on being your husband."

If Chara still had a heart, it would have stopped.

As it was, she froze, blinking a couple times before turning her full attention to the teen beside her.

Kid didn't seem to notice her look. He had lowered his gaze from the stars above, and she could see light coming from the other side of his face, signalling he'd turned his visor back on. He frowned slightly and leaned forwards, then his eyes widened.

"Oh crap, is it that late already? Aw man, my parents are going to have my hide!"

He leaned back, turning his head towards Chara and planting a quick kiss on her cheek as she stared dumbly at him.

"I gotta go, I'll see you later Chara!"

He leapt to his feet and immediately began running away, strong legs quickly carrying him down the hill and towards the rest of the city.

Chara stared after him, blinking owlishly. As he ran out of sight, she slowly raised a hand to her cheek and traced the spot where Kid had kissed her, then lowered her hand so she could stare at it for a few more moments before turning her gaze once more to where the boy had disappeared.

Her mind was almost completely blank, but there was one voice in the back of her head that perked up with the rest of her completely out of commission.

**Well. I'm in love. Huh.**

 

By the time Chara reached her house, the parts of her brain that were working again had gone into overdrive. What had actually happened there? And how did she really feel about it? The moment of clarity she'd had right after the fact was gone, replaced by confusion and fear as emotions danced inside her, seeming to taunt her by staying just out of reach of her understanding.

Toriel looked up from the couch as Chara walked into the living room, removed her reading glasses and smiled at her daughter.

"How was your date?" Toriel's expression turned to a concerned one as Chara said nothing, slowly making her way over to the couch and settling into it. "Are you alright?"

"I think so…" Chara replied at last. "But… can I talk to you about something?"

Toriel put both her book and glasses to the side, then opened her arms to her daughter in invitation, smiling when Chara scooted in close, leaning slightly against her mother, who wrapped warm arms around her.

"Of course, Chara. I am always here to listen to you, whatever it is."

The mechanical girl sighed in relief, pressing against the Boss Monster as she tried to get her thoughts in some semblance of order. Finally, she said;

"I think Kid's in love with me."

Toriel was silent for a moment, before saying carefully;

"And what makes you think that?"

"Well, he basically proposed to me tonight."

Her mother's body shook slightly as she tried to suppress a giggle, ultimately failing as the sound escaped her furry lips.

"Really?"

"Well, sort of?" Chara groaned and rubbed at her eyes. "I don't really know how to describe it. Like, the way he said it was… natural. It was like," she stopped for a moment, searching for the words. "Like he was just casually stating a fact. The sun rises in the east. Frisk's bad at math. I want to be your husband someday. Like there was no other way it could be."

"And how do you feel about this?" Toriel asked quietly.

"I don't know? I mean… I thought I did, but…" she let out another groan. "I know I've never cared about anyone the same way I do about Kid but… do I really love him? And what about him? I know he sounded genuine when he said that, but what if he only thinks he wants that with me?"

"Chara," Toriel's voice was soothing, and she began running her claws through the girl's hair, quieting her. "You know Kid, and he is one of the most genuine Monsters I know. He'd wear his soul on his sleeve for you… if he had sleeves."

"He still could be wrong about how he feels about me," Chara mumbled. "I don't think he's been in love before either."

"Monsters are not like Humans. We are far more connected to our emotions than they are. Anger gives us more strength, grief and sorrow deplete us more. And we always know what we are feeling. Some Monsters can hide what they feel, but Kid is not one of them. I've seen how he looks at you, Chara. He's been in love with you for some time now."

Chara was quiet, and Toriel continued after a moment.

"Love is an incredibly powerful emotion, Chara. Even more so for Monsters. It is not something to be taken lightly, either. We are not capable of passing it from one person to the next, as I have seen Humans do. If you have Kid's love, you will have it forever. Just as Asgore has always had mine."

Chara looked up in confusion.

"But… you left him!"

"That is because I could not agree with his actions, or his inability to keep his own promises. Just because you love someone, does not mean you agree with everything they do. Your father's actions made it impossible for me to stay with him, and I needed proof that it was worth getting back together with him before we married again. But throughout all that, he has always held my love, which is what made it all the harder."

"And… you think Kid's like that… with me?" Chara asked, her voice small. Toriel gave a little nod in response, and Chara lowered her head to stare blankly into her mother's lap, the red lights in her eyes dimming.

"I guess… that just leaves me, doesn't it?" She was quiet for a moment. "This is scary, Mom. Hah… out of everything… this is scary. I'm still not sure if I really love him… what if I don't? What if he cares about me this much, and I can't do the same? That would hurt him so bad!"

Chara began to cry quietly, and Toriel held her all the tighter.

"Even if I do love him… I'm not a Monster! What if I stop? What if I lose that? I would be damaging one of the most… precious things in my life, and I don't… I don't ever want to do that."

"You may not have a Monster soul," Toriel soothed, beginning to rock gently back and forth, mentally making a note that she needed to buy a rocking chair. "But your body is made in the image of Monsters. Listen to your magic. It knows the answer better than you do."

Toriel began to hum an old, familiar tune, the tune that had sent Chara and Asriel to sleep every night so long ago. Chara quietened quickly after that, wiping away the tears that had formed, and relaxing into her mother's hold.

Toriel brushed the girl's hair out of her eyes and smiled softly at her, giving her a brief squeeze.

"I believe that everything will be alright in the end, child," she whispered. "Your mind is brilliant, but there are other parts of you that I think already know the answer to your questions. You just need to listen to them."

 

Most of the next day passed by in a blur. Chara helped her father out in the garden, gave Frisk a hand with the summer catch-up work that he inevitably had, and spent some time walking through the park, stopping on the small hill where Kid had oh-so casually turned her world upside down.

"It's funny how, even when you know someone so well, they can still take you by surprise," she whispered to herself, her finger lightly brushing her cheek in memory. Then, she turned and walked back to the Monster district.

She did not head home, however, nor to Kid's house. Instead, it was at Alphys and Undyne's home that she stopped at, knocking on the door and awaiting a response.

It was not long before the door opened, revealing a casually dressed Undyne holding Alexander, who stared wide-eyed at Chara, his limbs moving slowly, and seemingly at random.

"Chara!" Undyne exclaimed in surprise. "You're here early? Usually Alphy has to get me to drag you out here for your check-ups!"

Chara shrugged.

"Might as well get it over with, right?"

Undyne chuckled, stepping to the side to allow the girl entrance into her house.

"Fair enough. C'mon in, I think you know where Alphys is."

The room Chara stepped into was a large living room with various rugs scattered about the floor in vague organization. A couple of couches occupied one side of the room, while the large piano from Undyne's old home was set up on the other side, next to the stairway.. Directly across from where Chara stood was an elevator that Chara knew lead to the basement of the house.

"The basement?" Chara questioned, already stepping in the direction of the elevator.

"The basement," Undyne confirmed, adjusting her grip on Alexander, who had turned his attention away from Chara and was chewing on the fingers of one of his hands, while the other one attempted to grab at his own foot.

"Tell her to come up after she's done checking your systems, alright? We're supposed to bring Alexander to the beach with Sans and Papyrus later today, and I don't want to have to drag her out of there by her tail again because she needs 'one more minute'."

"Sure." With that, Chara pressed a button, opening the elevator doors, and stepped inside, hitting the button to go down. She still wasn't sure why Alphys had insisted on getting an elevator to go down to the small lab in her basement instead of stairs, and she wasn't about to ask. The explanation would either be needlessly complicated… or there wouldn't be one.

It was a very short trip, and Chara was quickly stepping out of the elevator and into the tight hallway with large metal double-doors at the far end. As she approached, she could hear the tell-tale sounds of Alphys muttering to herself as she worked.

"Hey, Alphys." Chara said, opening the door and stepping inside the messy lab. The reptile jerked in surprise, fumbling with whatever tool she had been working with.

"Oh! H-hey Chara, I wasn't expecting you for another hour or so!"

"Sorry, I just… had some questions for you today. Figured I might as well get this over with at the same time." Chara hesitated for a moment, eyes flicking to the full vials that were bubbling on the counter she had been working at. "I'm uh, not interrupting anything important, right?"

Alphys shook her head, wiping her hands off on her already dirty lab coat.

"N-nothing major… um, just take a seat in that chair over there, and I'll get the scanners."

Alphys hurried over to a large filing cabinet and began rummaging through it, while Chara went over to the far side of the small lab, pulling out a small brown chair from the corner and brushing the discarded papers off of it. She seated herself, and waited quietly for Alphys.

It wasn't long before Alphys scurried towards her, pulling a few different devices out of various pockets. She looked to Chara for moment, and the robot sighed, before pulling off her shirt.

Alphys placed several small machines on her, one on each shoulder, one just under her neck and three around her golden-flower shaped core. Each one clamped onto her with a small jolt before beginning to beep softly.

"Umm, so, what did you want to talk about?" Alphys asked, not looking at Chara and instead directing her attention to the scanner in her hand.

"Can I have children?" Chara asked bluntly, knowing there was no easy way to broach the subject, especially with Alphys, and wanting to get it over with as quickly as possible. Alphys froze, and slowly looked up into Chara's face before replying cautiously.

"W-why do you want to know?"

Chara shrugged.

"It… occurred to me recently that I didn't know. I figured that's something I should be aware of."

Alphys placed the scanner back in a coat pocket and began rubbing her hands together nervously for a few moments, and Chara could all but see the gears turning in her head.

"Yes… and no," was the eventual reply.

Chara just stared at her.

Alphys grew visibly uncomfortable under her gaze, her scales beginning to shine with sweat before she caved.

"I-it depends on a few things," she reluctantly explained. "Um, you couldn't have children with a Human, I, um, don't know how to replicate H-human reproductive process, and even if I could it would probably be, um… messy. But, you know how Monsters have children, right?"

Chara nodded slowly.

"Yeah, basically the same process, but it's their magic that combines to make a new Monster."

"Right! Um, the magic that helps power your body… isn't capable of anything like that, it only works on the most basic level. But since you have your own magic… theoretically, that would allow you to have kids with a Monster."

"Theoretically?"

"Well, your magic is different from Monster magic… a-and it stems from a different source. I think it would be compatible, and work the same way ours would, but the only way to find out would be, umm," her cheeks colored and she looked away.

"Practice?"

"Smooth, Alphys," Chara drawled wryly.

"Y-yeah, that sounded kinda bad, didn't it? Um, but when I made your body, I made sure you had the… necessary equipment to have and carry children! Um, that sounded even worse, didn't it?"

Chara stared at Alphys incredulously.

"You did? How did I not know about that?"

Alphys flinched.

"You… _did_ say you didn't ever want to be mistaken for a boy again, right? And I made sure to keep those… closed off until you wanted them? I mean, maybe I went a little overboard on the whole thing, but I was just trying to helpandnowitsoundsreallycreepynowthatIthinkaboutit-"

Chara raised her hands placatingly, and Alphys shut her mouth with a snap and looked sheepishly up at the robot.

"It's fine," Chara assured. "I was just a little surprised, that's all." She let a smile slowly cross her features and she looked away into the distance.

"Only with Monsters, huh? I think I can live with that…"


	24. A Sweet New Ride

Frisk stood on the sidewalk just outside his house, idly fiddling with the tail of his scarf. Despite the sweltering heat of midsummer, he still refused to take it off unless he absolutely had to.

He glanced up and down the street, and was surprised to see Papyrus approaching. The tall skeleton had a jaunty spring in his step, and he waved back the moment he saw Frisk.

"Papyrus! I didn't know you were coming out here!"

"Chara called me a little while ago," the skeleton explained, striding up to stand next to the Human. "She said she had something she wanted to show me, and so, here I am!" he looked around expectantly. "Erm, where is she?"

"She's setting up the surprise, whatever it is," Frisk replied. "Mom and Dad'll be out here soon too. And if she called you, I'd be surprised if some of the others don't show up. Must be something pretty big."

"I should think so! She sounded very excited when she spoke to me! Even more so than people usually are in the presence of the great Papyrus!"

Frisk laughed at that, then grinned up at his friend.

"I guess so, huh? Kind of hard to keep in a bad mood around you."

"But of course! No bad feelings can stand up to the mighty spaghettore!"

"Are you two having fun out there?"

Papyrus and Frisk turned to see Toriel leaving the house to join them, Asgore close behind. Both Boss Monsters smiled warmly at the pair.

"Always, Mom," Frisk called back. "Which is good, since who knows how long it's gonna take Chara to come show off whatever she's cooked up for us."

"Do you have any idea what it's about?" Asgore asked, white-furred feet stepping onto the sidewalk.

Frisk shrugged.

"Not sure… but I think it might have to do with her motorcycle license?"

"She has been very excited about that, ever since she got it," Toriel agreed. "I believe she was trying to find a way to set it up so that it was safe for Kid to join her?"

"Maybe she's gonna get one of those side-car things for him?" Frisk suggested. "Who knows, maybe that's what she wants to show us?"

"Perhaps," Asgore chimed in. "I haven't seen her motorcycle since we bought it last weekend. Perhaps she's been setting something up with it?"

"Guess we'll find out, won't we?" Frisk chuckled. The others nodded, and the teen turned to Papyrus.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask," He eyed the jeans and multi-colored shirt the skeleton wore. "Why don't you ever wear your battle body anymore? Besides the scarf, I mean."

"I decided it was time for a change! Too much of the same thing, and I would end up as lazy as Sans! Besides, there are so many more articles of clothing that can be improved by my masterful tailoring marker! Not doing so would be a grievous waste of my talents!"

"I see," Asgore rumbled in amusement, his gaze resting momentarily on the skeleton's chest where the words, "Please don't noogie the skeleton" were emblazoned in Papyrus's neat, methodical handwriting.

"Hey, nerds!"

The group turned to see Alphys and Undyne walking down the street towards them. Undyne was pushing a light blue stroller with Alexander buckled in. Undyne waved at them with one hand before returning it to the stroller and the others waved back in return.

"Hey Alphys… good to see you out of your lab!" Frisk teased as the couple approached. "I was starting to think you miss the Underground, being down there the whole time!"

"O-of course not!" Alphys protested, vigorously shaking her hands in denial. "I-I just-"

"Relax, babe." Undyne rubbed at Alphys's head crest, causing her to fall silent in response. "He's just teasing you."

"O-oh…" Alphys realized, blushing slightly and looking away. "Sorry…"

"Hello there, little one," Toriel cooed, stepping closer to the stroller and crouching down to get eye-level with the infant within. Alexander stared up at her with wide brown eyes, tilting his head to the side.

Toriel smiled at him, and reached out a hand, stopping just shy of touching the boy. After a moment, Alexander reached out with both hands and grasped at her fingers, each small hand wrapping around a different digit as the child inspected her white fur, his gaze falling to the new oddity within his reach.

"Hah, why do I get the feeling that if we ever need you to babysit, he's gonna get spoiled beyond belief?" Undyne grinned.

"Because he is," Frisk put in, earning him a chuckle from the others. "I think… hang on, what's that sound?"

In the distance could be heard a quiet roar, and the group turned as one to look down the street.

All but one. Toriel was reluctant to pull herself away from the child. She smiled softly at him before looking down the street herself. As they waited, the sound grew louder, until its source was revealed, turning around a corner and into sight.

It was large, jet-black motorcycle, with wide handlebars and the words "Harley Davidson" on the side. Several long, thin black wires attached to the handlebars stretched tight as they held and straightened the bike.

The seat was empty… because attached to the motorbike was a metal chariot in the ancient Roman style, painted in black and yellow colors. Standing in the front of the chariot, pressed up against the protective metal barrier between it and the cycle itself, was Kid, wearing a black leather vest and sporting a massive smile, large enough to rival even Undyne's. Right behind him was Chara, her arms stretched around the boy and her stance wide as she gripped the reins in her hands.

Chara was wearing her own leather jacket, the spikes on the shoulders glistening in the afternoon light. She wore a pair of dark, rectangular shades, hiding her crimson eyes from sight. Behind her, her unbound hair whipped about in the wind.

There was nothing but stunned silence from the group as Chara pulled on a different rein, and the bike began to slow and turn towards the sidewalk. By the time it came to a complete stop, the two riders were just beside their captive audience.

Chara couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face even if she wanted to. She untied the length of wire around her waist and coiled it around a handle on the side of the chariot before stepping out onto the pavement. Kid followed her, bouncing in excitement.

"Yo, that was awesome!"

" _This_ is what you were working on?!" Frisk exclaimed in disbelief. "This... this…"

"Motorcycle chariot?" Chara grinned, rolling her shoulders and removing her shades.

"How did you even…" Undyne breathed, her gaze never leaving the contraption.

"Took some work, but I know a few people with the skills to set this up. Whaddya think?"

"Are you sure this is safe?" Toriel asked in concern, noting that there was no protective barrier on the back to keep the occupants from falling out.

"We gave it a few test runs first, Mom." Chara assured. "And the guys who built it made sure everything was safe. It's no more dangerous than just the bike would have been."

"I still can't believe you got all this set up just so I could ride around with you!" Kid exclaimed, starry eyed. "You're the best, Chara!"

"Anything for you," Chara murmured, pulling him close and kissing him. It was a brief kiss, not out of a desire for it to end quickly on either side, but because Chara had to pull away to glare at Frisk, who had begun clapping.

"Frisk, I swear…"

"Oh, don't let me stop you," the boy chortled. "Please, do go on."

"Don't you have some estranged girlfriend you could be annoying?"

While the siblings bickered, the others gathered around the vehicle to inspect it, some looking for safety features, and others marveling in the sleek, elegant contraption. It was then that Sans appeared, just outside the doorway into the Dreemurr house. He looked around and spotted the others, then strode casually towards them. Papyrus noticed him first.

"Sans! I was beginning to wonder if you would show up!"

"Just had something I needed to deal with first." The skeleton replied, eyeing the chariot. "So, what's got you all _hip_ notized over here?"

"Sans… "Papyrus groaned, clutching at his skull. "That was terrible. Even for you."

"Eh, they can't all be _weiners_ ," Sans chuckled, pulling a hot cat out of his pocket and taking a bite out of it to the sound of Toriel's muffled snorting as she tried to keep herself under control for Papyrus's sake.

"Oh! Since we are all here," The former queen spoke up, just in time to interrupt a rant from Papyrus. "I have some important news!"

The group's collective gaze fell upon Toriel, and she gave a smile before continuing.

"I received a call this morning, and I have learned that there is going to be another Human-Monster relations meeting coming up next week."

Chara looked up in surprise. "Another one? Already? This isn't about that thing with Overwatch again, right? I thought we dealt with that!"

Toriel shook her head.

"No, this one is different than the ones we've attended before. This one has more to do with our relations with Humanity as a whole, rather than just here in America."

"What do you mean, dear?" Asgore asked.

"Well, you know how Monsters have been spreading out over the past few years? There are now Monsters in nearly every nation on the planet. The man who contacted me said that this meeting is the first of many that may help us solidify our relationship with Humans worldwide."

"Why do I get the feeling there's going to be a catch?" Chara intoned.

"There is one, but I am unsure if I would call it a catch," Toriel replied. "The meeting is not being held nearby, as most of the others have been. This one… is in Paris."

"Whoa, whoa…" Frisk waved his hands and blinked rapidly. "Like… _the_ Paris? In France?"

Toriel's smile widened and she tilted her head in acknowledgement. The others looked to each other in stunned silence for a few moments, then Frisk leapt into the air in excitement.

"Aw yeah! That's gonna be awesome! I've never gone overseas before!"

"Me neither," Chara admitted. "That could actually be fun!" She stole a glance at Kid. "What do you think? You want to come to this one too?"

Kid nodded vigorously in response.

"Yeah! I have to ask my… my parents first, but I'm sure they'd be okay with it!" He hesitated, then looked over at Toriel. "Umm… if it's okay with you guys…"

Toriel looked down at the teen, her gaze soft.

"Of course you can. In fact…" she looked back at the others. "All of you are welcome to come with us, if you wish."

"Wowie, really? Sans, just think of all the new friends we could meet out there! And I hear the French love their pasta!"

"I think you might be thinking of Italians, bro."

"Oh," The skeleton deflated for a moment, but quickly bounced back. "Well then, I shall just have to enkindle the love for it deep, deep within their souls! Papyrus will change their lives for a better and noodlier future!"

"Yeah, you go!" Undyne enthused, slapping the tall skeleton on the back, nearly knocking him over. "You'll show 'em how it's done!"

"What about you two?" Asgore questioned. Undyne's grin faded slightly and she shook her head remorsefully.

"I don't think we can make it, we've got some plans for that week. But hey, if there's gonna be more of these, let us know! I'll take any excuse to drag this one out into the sunlight!"

"Oh come on, I-I'm not that bad!" Alphys protested weakly, though the only response she got from the fish-warrior was a snort of laughter.

"Come on, Sans!" Papyrus grabbed the smaller skeleton by his hoodie and began dragging him away. "We must begin preparations at once!"

"Paps, come on," Sans protested, though he made no actual move to resist his brother. "It's not until next week, we don't have to-"

"I know you, Sans! It'll take at least three days for you to pack your socks if I don't handle it properly! But I, the great Papyrus, will show you how to be proactive about it! Your whole life will be transformed when this is over, just wait and see!"

"Welp, later guys." Sans waved at them nonchalantly as Papyrus dragged him around the corner. "Nice bike, Chara!"

"You're totally gonna have to show me how this thing works sometime!" Undyne told Chara, an excited gleam in her eye. "Maybe I'll have to get me one of these! It's so badass!"

"Well, I should probably drop Kid back off at his place, but afterwards… maybe I can show you?"

"Um, actually Chara…" Kid said hesitantly, drawing his girlfriend's attention. "I think I should probably just go back by myself for now… you could show it off to Undyne now…"

Chara looked to him in concern.

"Is everything alright?"

Kid nodded.

"Yeah, everything's cool! I just uh… gotta figure out how I'm gonna convince my parents to let me come, haha."

Chara's gaze went sympathetic as she realized what was going on.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later then, alright?"

"Sure thing!"

Kid dashed off, and Chara looked after him sadly for a moment, wishing there was something she could do to help him.

"Well, while you two have fun out here," Toriel said, glancing at Alphys, "Perhaps the rest of us could go inside? I get the feeling it's going to get… loud out here."

"Um, s-sure!" Alphys replied, and she followed the Boss Monsters inside, still carrying her son.

As they left, Chara turned to Undyne and forced a smile onto her face.

"Alright, now, watch carefully…"


	25. The Truth (part 1)

Chara zipped her suitcase closed and stepped back with a relieved sigh. Packing for a week-long trip to Paris wasn't easy, and she was grateful to finally be done with it. She put the full suitcase next to the one by the doorway, then stepped back and took a seat on her bed.

Chara's thoughts turned to Kid. While he had seemed pretty excited about coming, this would be his first time going on a trip like this. She wasn't sure if he was really prepared for it, and even if he was, he'd have a lot more trouble packing than anyone else.

Maybe she should go over and check on him. If he needed a hand, she could lend it. If not… she let a grin stretch across her features. They could always find something else to occupy the time.

She strode out of her room, debating whether or not she should call him, and finally decided it would be better if it was a surprise. She made her way downstairs, barely sparing a glance to Frisk who was reading on the couch.

The mechanical girl poked her head into the kitchen to see Toriel rolling dough on the counter, humming softly to herself.

"Hey Mom," she said, getting the Boss Monster's attention. "I'm going to Kid's place for a bit, I just want to make sure he's ready for the trip next week, okay?"

"Alright dear," Toriel replied. "But do not be too long."

"I won't," Chara replied, smiling. "Thanks, Mom."

 

Chara knocked on the door of the large brick house a second time, a worried frown creasing her features.

This wasn't like Kid at all; usually he'd have told her if he was going out somewhere, and if he was home, he'd have come to the door already. Normally, it wouldn't bother her too much, but after the whole ordeal with Overwatch a few months back, she couldn't help but worry he might be in danger.

When he still didn't come to the door, she hesitantly checked the handle and, finding it was unlocked, opened it. Maybe she could find some clue as to what had happened. She'd only taken a few steps when she heard noises coming from the living room. Turning her attention there, it was only a moment before she reached the source of the sound.

Kid was lying on the floor, curled up into a ball, his visor discarded a few feet away. His entire body was shaking with the force of his sobs, and the carpet below his head was stained with tears. Chara's eyes widened and instantly she was kneeling at his side, her hands on his chest.

"Kid? Kid, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

The reptile opened his eyes slowly, turning his head slightly to look up at Chara, tears still flowing freely from his brown eyes.

"Chara? He managed. "Y-you're real, right? I didn't make you up too?"

"Of course I'm real." Chara replied as soothingly as she could manage, though she couldn't hide the confusion in her voice. "What's wrong?"

Kid closed his eyes again, unable to reply as he began crying even harder.

Unsure of what else she could do, Chara maneuvered herself into a sitting position, then gently pulled Kid up, and held him close to her. Her metallic hands gently rubbed his back. He pressed into her, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Mom… Dad…" He finally managed to choke out. "My sister… they're all… all…" He broke down again, even more violently than before, his shuddering cries echoing through the empty house.

Sympathy welled up in Chara and tears threatened to form in her own eyes as she felt her soul break a little on hearing Kid's grief. She'd known this would happen someday, though she wished she could have prevented it.

She held Kid a little tighter, knowing there was nothing she could say to make the pain go away. She continued to attempt to soothe him, rubbing at his back, and rocking back and forth slightly like Toriel would do when she was upset.

They stayed like that for a time.

Finally Kid cried himself into exhaustion, slumping limply against Chara. The robot held him closer, making soft noises into his ear hole, but otherwise remaining silent.

"It just… it happened so fast," Kid whispered brokenly. "One day they were complaining that they were feeling sick, and the next morning, they were all..." He shuddered. "I just… couldn't believe it."

"Kid, I… I'm so sorry."

Kid sniffed loudly, burying his head in Chara's shoulder.

"It hurts, Chara," the boy whimpered, his whole body shaking though he had no tears left to shed. "I don't know… I don't know what to do."

"It's okay, we'll figure something out. I won't leave you alone."

"I don't understand," Kid mumbled. "Every day there's been food, and the place always stayed clean and… and..."

"There were several Monsters who agreed to take care of you," Chara explained quietly, stroking the back of his head gently. "Most of them moved away, but-"

She stopped as Kid froze, then raised his head away from her shoulder to stare at her, his eyes rimmed with red from crying.

"You… knew about this?"

His voice was stunned, disbelieving. Chara could deal with those, but she hadn't expected the trace of… anger in his voice. She instinctively tried to pull him closer, only to give a hurt gasp as he pulled away, jumping to his feet.

"You knew about this and you didn't tell me?" His voice was shaking with emotion and Chara found her words catching in her throat as he glared at her. She barely managed to choke out;

"Kid, I-"

"How _could_ you?!" Kid shouted, and Chara flinched away, her eyes wide. "We're supposed to help each other! We're supposed to be there for each other! How could you hide something like this from me?"

Each word tore into Chara's soul like a weapon. Any hope she had of replying was shattered as Kid curled his lip into a snarl, the grief and pain in his eyes now wholly replaced with anger.

"Was it funny? Were you laughing at me while I went on about my parents, while _you knew_ they were gone? Was it all a game to you?"

Chara jerked. He didn't really think…

"Of course not!" she managed, trying to hold his anger fueled gaze, though she might as well have been trying to stare down Sans. "I would never-"

"Just stop." And just like that, Chara's throat closed with a whimper. "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

The tears that had already been forming in Chara's eyes began to trickle down her face and she let out a strangled sob as Kid whipped around, stalking away in the direction of his room. Her vision blurred and she hung her head, her shoulders shuddering. She did not see the other figure who appeared in the room, halting Kid's movements, though she did raise her head when she heard another voice.

"Oh no…" Napstablook murmured, looking between Chara and Kid a few times before his gaze settled on the boy. "Kid, um… I don't think you should leave like this… It's not her fault…."

Kid stared at the ghost for a moment, his anger momentarily replaced with confusion.

"Hey, I know you! You're Mettaton's cousin, right? What are you doing here?"

Napstablook's gaze lowered to the floor, his form shifting slightly.

"Um, this wasn't how I was gonna introduce myself… um… I'm Napstablook and I… sorta… live here?"

Kid blinked in bewilderment.

"What?"

Napstablook faded slightly, though he didn't go fully transparent.

"I've been living in the attic," the ghost admitted. "I'm the one who's been making you food, and listening to you when you talked…" his voice trailed off as Kid just stared at him open-mouthed.

"Oh no… I'm sorry, I would have told you about it, but the other Monsters said you didn't believe your family was gone… they said it would be better if you figured it out on your own… oh no, I messed this up didn't I? Um… you can be mad at me if you want… but you shouldn't be mad at Chara. I don't think she's been laughing at you, and you've been a lot happier since you guys got together…"

Kid didn't respond, apparently trying to comprehend what was happening. Chara had risen to one knee, and was looking between the two, wanting to do something, but fearing Kid's angry gaze upon her.

As the silence stretched on, Napstablook visibly sagged, then turned away.

"Ummm, I guess I'll just let myself out then…"

"Wait."

Napstablook looked back at Kid who's mouth was moving slightly, though no other words were coming out yet. Finally, he found his voice and spoke quietly.

"Whenever I talked to my parents… I always felt like someone was listening. I never felt… alone. That… that was you?"

The ghost nodded hesitantly.

"Umm, for the past two years, anyway. I'm sorry…."

Kid sighed, the exhalation deflating him completely. He slumped up against the wall, staring out into nothing.

"I'm such an idiot," his voice was no longer sad or angry, just tired. "I should have known about all this."

Napstablook hesitantly hovered a bit closer to him.

"I don't think you're an idiot… losing everyone like that is really hard. But… you still have people who care about you now, right? We can help… if you want…"

Kid looked over to Napstablook, then to Chara, his eyes turning sad as she flinched, half expecting that glare to be back. He looked away again.

"You guys, I… I need to be alone for a bit. I don't know what…"

"It's okay," Chara managed, standing, but unable to look at Kid. "We get it. Take all the time you need."

Kid didn't say anything, just lowered his head and trudged into his room, shutting the door behind him.

 

"Are you sure this is alright?" Napstablook asked, following nervously behind Chara as she walked up the steps to the front door of her home. "I don't want to be a bother…"

"It'll be fine," Chara replied dully, trying in vain to banish the vision of the betrayed look on Kid's face from her mind. She opened the door and stepped inside, barely noting the scent of baking filling the house. Napstablook hesitated on the threshold, then hovered slowly after her.

They went through the dining room instead of the kitchen, Chara hoping to avoid Toriel. Unfortunately, her mother had apparently joined Frisk on the couch, reading over his shoulder. Both of them looked up as the two approached.

"Oh, hello Napstablook," Toriel said in surprise. "I have not seen you in a while, how have you been?"

"Oh…. it's been alright," the ghost mumbled. "I'm sorry about this, but Chara offered to let me come here while we wait. Oh no… I can leave though, if you want..."

"Please, do not trouble yourself," Toriel replied, smiling gently at Napstablook."You are always welcome here."

"Oh…" Napstablook faded slightly in embarrassment. Then, Frisk spoke up.

"So, what are you guys waiting for, then? Chara, I thought you were going out to see Kid."

Chara's hands curled into fists, and she walked stiffly towards the stairs, ascending and disappearing from view without a word. Toriel and Frisk both looked after her in bewilderment, then turned their attention to the small ghost, who faded even more from their attention.

"What was that about?" Frisk questioned in concern.

"Oh, um… I'm sorry, but I don't know if it's my place to say…" Napstablook shifted uncomfortably. "But… something happened, and now we're just… waiting for Kid."

"Did those two have a lovers spat?" Frisk asked.

"Umm, sorta?"

"Frisk, I believe you have already involved yourself more than enough in their relationship," Toriel stated firmly. "Whatever you are planning, don't."

"Aw, come on, Mom, you know I'm…" his voice trailed away at the look Toriel was giving him and he sighed.

"Fine, fine. I guess they probably don't need my help at this point. They're almost nauseatingly cute together as it is, though they're still not as bad as you and Dad."

"I shall take that as a compliment."

While mother and son lightly teased each other, Napstablook slowly floated after Chara. After what had just happened, what he feared would come next… listening to their interaction loving was too painful for the little ghost to bear.


	26. The Truth (final)

Chara sat in her room with her door shut, head bowed as she stared at her hands. She had never seen Kid angry before, and having that look focused on her was so incredibly painful…

A memory surfaced unbidden in her mind.

When she had been fused with Asriel, they had gone to the surface to get the souls needed to break the barrier. They reached the village, and sure enough, the Humans spotted them, armed themselves with surprising swiftness and raced to attack.

But Asriel had backed out. He refused to fight them at the last minute, despite her cries and anger. No matter how hard she struggled, he wouldn't budge, not even as their weapons pierced them. He wouldn't even defend himself, or allow her to, merely turning and walking away, weapons impaling their form.

Asriel had been able to see a mental image of her, just as she and Frisk had when they shared a body. The look she had given him then… it was the same one Kid had just given her. A look of hurt. Anger. Betrayal.

She didn't notice Napstablook slip in through the door, not until the ghost spoke.

"Umm, are you okay?"

She jerked, whipping her head around to face him, and the lights in her eyes brightened for a moment before dimming to the point where they were barely seen.

"No," she admitted. "No, I'm really not." She began to cry again, her body shaking slightly.

"Oh no…" Napstablook murmured. "Um, I'm sure Kid will calm down soon, he loves you too much to stay mad at you…"

"That just makes it worse!" Chara sobbed. "If you c-care about someone, and they betray you like I did… it only makes things worse!"

"Oh no... you didn't betray him… you were just trying to help, like I was."

"I should have done something more. I could have done something to keep this from happening, but I didn't. Now, I'll be lucky if he doesn't hate me." Chara's voice was bitter, and filled with self loathing. Napstablook hesitated, unsure of what to do, then hovered a little closer to the girl.

"I don't think Kid could hate you. At least he knows you… I'm sure he'll come around soon… for you, at least…"

Chara looked to him, attempting to wipe her face dry.

"You... like taking care of him, don't you?" She asked quietly.

Napstablook looked away, giving a small nod as his only response.

He and Chara fell into silence, and the robot found the ghost's presence somehow comforting while she tried to compose herself.

Eventually, there was a soft knock on the door, and Toriel poked her head in.

"Chara, there's someone here to see you."

"Tell them to go away," Chara mumbled. "I don't want to deal with it right now."

Toriel hesitated, sympathy in her eyes, as she looked at her daughter.

"It's… Kid."

Both the occupants of the room looked up at that, fear flashing momentarily in their eyes, just long enough for Toriel to notice it. Chara bit her lip.

"Alright… can you send him up here, please?"

Toriel nodded and left, shutting the door behind her.

Once she was gone, Chara and Napstablook traded glances. The mechanical girl took a deep breath.

"Well… you ready for his verdict?" She asked, trying to take a lighthearted tone and failing miserably.

"Not really…" Napstablook muttered, his gaze falling to the floor. "But… I guess it's better to know…"

It wasn't long before there was another quiet knock. Chara inhaled deeply, and went to open it, Napstablook watching her nervously.

Just outside was Kid, whose eyes flicked up to Chara's face for a moment before looking hurriedly away. His face still was still wet and his shoulders were slumped.

"Kid, I'm-" Chara began.

"I'm sorry," the reptile interrupted. "I'm really sorry, Chara, I didn't mean…"

The black-haired girl looked at him for a moment, though he still refused to look at her face. Then she held the door open, gesturing him inside. After a moment's hesitation, he complied, and she shut the door behind him and leaned against it.

"Kid... it's okay-"

"But it's not!" He finally looked into her eyes, trembling slightly. "I yelled at you, Chara! I acted like everything was your fault! I…" his head bowed, unable to look at her any longer.

"I _hurt_ you."

Chara reached out a hand, not noticing that it too was shaking a little. She cupped his cheek and raised his head so he had to look at her.

"Kid, you're hurting," she said softly. "And… I understand why you were angry. It's… it's alright though."

"It's not," Kid protested weakly. "I love you, I'm not s'posed to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you, ever."

Chara swore she should have overheated by now with all the conflicting emotions running through her. She had known he cared about her that much, Toriel and now Napstablook had confirmed it. But… he had never actually said it before.

"Kid," somehow she managed to keep her voice mostly steady as she brought her other hand up to cup the other side of his face. "I love you too, and it's because I love you that it's okay." Kid's expression became confused, and Chara continued.

"Yes, it hurt when you were angry at I understand why you were. It felt like everything was falling apart, didn't it? And finding out that I had been keeping that from you…"

"It wasn't your fault though… I probably wouldn't have listened anyways."

"Kid." Chara pulled him in close and rested her forehead against his. "I forgive you. I just want to help you through this. Okay?"

"O-okay," Kid mumbled, and he didn't resist when Chara pressed her lips softly against his own.

"Umm, should I leave, or…?"

The two stepped apart, looking to Napstablook, who faded slightly under their scrutiny. Kid managed a shaky breath.

"No… I need to talk to you too."

"Oh… okay…"

Kid chewed on his lip for a moment before saying shyly;

"You've um… you've been there for me for a long time, even though I didn't know about it, right?"

The ghost gave a small nod, and Kid continued.

"Um… thanks for that. I still don't… I don't really know what I'm gonna do now. But maybe, you could stay? At least until I figure it out?"

"Oh… sure, if you're okay with it…"

Kid gave a small smile, though it faded quickly.

"Maybe we could talk a bit too? I uh, don't really know you very well, and you've been really nice to me. I'd kinda like to get to know you better…"

"Oh no… I don't know… I'm not very interesting, I'd probably just end up boring you…"

"C'mon Napstablook." Chara spoke. "At least let him learn about the guy who's been caring for him for the past few years."

"Ohhh... I guess… if you really want to…" Napstablook mumbled, nearly completely transparent now.

Kid let out a sigh, his lips twitching into a brief smile.

"Thanks… wow, I really have no idea how to deal with all this." He looked over to Chara. "Can I still come to the meeting next week?"

"Are you up for it?" Chara replied, mildly surprised. "You've been through a lot today…"

"Um, I think I could use some time away… y'know, to think and stuff." his eyes flicked to Napstablook. "Um, if that's okay with you?"

Napstablook blinked in surprise, and Chara stifled a small smile. She had a feeling she already knew what Kid was going to decide.

"Oh… it's fine, I know you were looking forward to it…"

"Thanks." Kid took a deep shuddering breath, then relaxed. "Uh, I should probably go back and finish packing then, I was trying to do it, but then I was looking for one of my comics, and I found my sister's teddy in one of the old boxes and... and…"

He shuddered, and Chara wrapped him into a hug. He sighed, and murmured,

"Thank you."

"Umm, if you're going to finish packing... do you want me to help with that?" Napstablook spoke up. "I noticed you were kind of having some trouble…"

"Yeah, I think I'd like that."

Before they left, Chara whispered to Kid,

"Are you doing okay?" he seemed to think it over for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"I… think so. Could you, maybe, come over later though?"

"Of course." Chara pulled back slightly, smiling tenderly at him. "I'm always going to be there for you. No matter what."


	27. Judge, Jury and Executioner (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's f****** ominous.

Frisk watched Chara pacing back and forth on the sidewalk, grateful that his sister was wearing shoes, so the only sound from her footsteps was a dull thumping noise, rather than the clanking of metal on concrete.

"They're late," she said, for what felt like the hundredth time, stopping her pacing and crossing her black metal arms to stare down the street.

"Come on, Chara. We're in Paris! People are allowed to stop and smell the roses, you know."

"Your brother is right, dear," Toriel supplied from where she and Sans sat at the steps up to the large, intricately designed hotel where they would be staying for the next few days. "It's not like we didn't stop to see the sights a few times on the way here, we cannot begrudge them for doing the same."

"Don't get your circuits in a twist," Sans supplied. "I'm sure they'll be here soon, wire just going to have to wait a little longer."

Chara just huffed in annoyance, and Frisk rolled his eyes as she resumed her pacing. He took a moment to look around, enjoying the sights set before him.

The city really was beautiful. The part they were in had cobblestone streets and gorgeous buildings made in a style no longer used in the modern day, but still as pristine and well-kept as when they had first been built. A flock of birds nestled in a nearby tower, and if Frisk strained his ears, he could almost hear their song.

"Much as I love them, you know that Dad, Kid and Papyrus are all easily distracted," Chara continued. "That's it. if they're not here in five minutes, I'm calling them."

"Whatever you say, Chara," Frisk murmured, not really paying attention. Instead, he watched the different cars going down the streets, keeping his eyes peeled for any models that he didn't usually see back home.

"Howdy!" Frisk turned and was relieved to see Asgore and Papyrus walking towards them from around a corner, both wearing huge smiles. Asgore was wearing his "Mr. Dad Guy" shirt and camo shorts, while Papyrus, of course, was in his "Cool Dude" outfit.

"Sorry we're late." The large Boss Monster chuckled as he closed in on them. "It sure is easy to get turned around here, but at least there's always something to see on the way."

"Finally," Chara muttered while Sans and Toriel stood to greet the arrivals.

"No kidding," Frisk grinned. "You made it just in time, Chara's pacing was driving me insane."

"Yeah, yeah. Big baby," Chara muttered, stepping to the side as Toriel embraced Asgore, nuzzling him in a tooth-rotting display of affection. She frowned and took a look around, her brows knitting.

"Where's Kid?"

Papyrus looked surprised.

"We thought he was with you! He bought something a little while ago, and ran ahead with it. Didn't he get here yet?"

"You let him go ahead by himself?!" Chara yelled, her eyes shining brightly. "He's never been in this city before, he probably got lost on the way!"

"Asgore…" Toriel chided, a stern look on her face. The former king winced.

"We knew we weren't very far from here…" he mumbled sheepishly. "And he seemed very focused on getting to you… we thought-"

"Idiots," Chara muttered, her eyes closing, probably to allow her to dial Kid's visor.

"Chara! You will not speak that way about your father," Toriel warned.

"Don't worry, bucko," Sans said walking forward. "I'm sure he's fine, he'll just need-"

Chara's eyes snapped open.

"He's not answering."

"What do you mean?" Frisk asked. "The thing's stuck to the side of his head, there's no way he can miss it!"

"It says that the number's not in service." Chara looked down the street. "Something's wrong. I have to find him!"

"Chara!" Toriel called. But the robotic girl was already running down the street, and disappearing around a corner.

"Don't worry, she can take care of herself, Tori," Sans said quietly. "She might have the right idea though. We should find her boyfriend before he gets himself into trouble."

"Well, we all have our cell phones, correct?" Papyrus piped up. "We can split up and keep in contact with each other while we look for him! With all of us working together, we'll find him in no time!"

"Good thinking, Papyrus!" Frisk said, genuinely impressed.

"Frisk, you should go with Papyrus," Toriel stated. "I will go with Asgore. Call if you find anything, alright?"

At her tone, Asgore's ears drooped, knowing that his wife was going to give him a talking-to for this. But he still managed a smile.

"Sounds good," Sans replied, turning and walking away. "See ya soon."

 

Chara raced down the sidewalks, evading anyone she came across. She focused her magic, trying to feel any traces of Kids magical signature. She cursed herself for not having worked more at detecting magic. Her skills in that field were rudimentary at best. She vowed to herself that she'd work on that when they got back home, as she skidded around a corner and bolted forwards.

There weren't very many Monsters in Paris. There had been a lot of spreading out from Mt. Ebott since the Underground opened up, but this was practically halfway around the world. Fortunately, that narrowed down her search quite a bit; any magical presence she did manage to feel would have a good chance of being Kid.

She turned off the main street, and dove into a maze of alleyways, calling Kid's name a couple of times as she did so. The alleyways here were nowhere near as nice as the main streets, the scent of stale garbage was prevalent in the air, and a few beggars in dirty clothes looked up to watch her as she streaked past.

There! She felt it, a vague tingling sensation at the edge of her senses. A faint magical energy. She increased her speed, unsure if it was Kid or not, but if it was, then she needed to get to him before he got into trouble.

**He'd _better_ be okay.** She thought to herself, eyes narrowing and trying not to think of the situations her boyfriend could have gotten himself into. All that took a back seat in her mind however, as she entered another alleyway and finally saw Kid.

He was lying on his back on the ground, only his shoulders and neck pressed up against the brick wall as he looked up, fear shining in his brown eyes. His shirt was torn to reveal cuts on his torso, and his visor was discarded a few feet away. It looked like it had been stomped on repeatedly.

He was surrounded by six men wearing old leather jackets and smelling faintly of alcohol, with a seventh crouching over him, holding a dagger just above the boy's eye.

Chara let out a scream of feral rage, her eye blazing forth in an inferno of power, causing the group to whip their attention to her. Even as a knife formed in one hand, her other gestured, calling the various colored souls forth from the men's bodies. They were clearly unused to the sensation and they stumbled, shouting in alarm.

She swung the knife, a beam of energy exploding from it and neatly slicing through three of the souls, each one shattering in its wake. As the men let out gasps and collapsed lifelessly to the ground, three orbs of her energy formed behind her and fired, each smashing into another soul and killing them instantly.

Only the man who had been moments away from stabbing Kid was left. He had stumbled away from the boy when his soul had been called forth, though he still held the dagger loosely in his grip as he stared wide-eyed at the vengeful robot before him.

Chara leapt forwards, knocking the man down and holding her knife right over his heart, much in the same way he had just been with Kid.

"Please!" He gasped. No accent. He was either very well educated, or not from around here. "Mercy!"

"Mercy?" She growled, her synthetic voice amplified by the dual-tones that always awakened when her power manifested. "He asked for mercy, didn't he? I saw your souls, he never even attacked you did he? But you didn't care."

The man whimpered as he stared up into the face of death.

"I will give you the same mercy you showed him!"

With that, she plunged the knife down, watching the dark brown heart beneath it shatter and the man below her go limp.

She stood, panting slightly and allowing her knife to fade from her hand and her eye to go out. Then she gasped. Kid.

She turned back to him and ran to his prone body. His eyes had closed and his breathing was ragged.

"Kid? Kid can you hear me?" Chara desperately pulled the boy up into a sitting position, pressing his back against the wall. "Say something!"

The boy coughed, and Chara could swear she saw flecks of dust shimmering from the exhalation. He cracked open his eyes.

"Cha...ra?" He managed. "S..sorry I'm… late…."

Chara focused on his soul and barely stifled a cry. The tiniest sliver of his energy was left… and it was flickering in a way she'd never seen before.

"Don't worry about that, just hold on, okay?" She said, her voice frantic. "I'm calling Mom right now, she'll come and help you, just don't die on me!"

Kid let out another cough, then his eyes fluttered closed. He slumped down, and Chara barely caught him before he hit the ground. She froze, staring at him in wide-eyed terror.

**No…**

It took a couple moments before she realized that he hadn't turned to dust yet. She'd never seen a Monster do something like this before, but if he wasn't dust, then…

She propped him back up against the wall gently, then dialed her mother.

"Hello?" Toriel asked.

"Mom, I'm sending you the GPS for where I am." Chara said hurriedly. "You need to come here right now."

"Did you find him?" Toriel asked.

"Yeah, but he's really badly hurt." She looked down at the boy. "I think… I think he's Fallen Down."

There was a gasp from the other end.

"What happened?"

"Not now, Mom! He needs help! Come over here as quickly as you can, okay?"

She hung up before her mother had a chance to reply. The sooner she got here, the better, and she didn't have time for her mother's questions. Not now, not with the looming threat that the one she loved could be snatched away from her… for the second time.

Already, the waiting was killing her. It already felt like hours since she had called her mother, and she had to resist the urge to call her again. She tried looking down at Kid, but the wounds sported on his body caused her to look away, especially since she could see dust on the edges of the cuts. If he died…

She cast her gaze about, afraid to look at the boy and afraid to touch him, lest he crumble to dust in her hands like in her dreams. Her eyes once again focused on his visor, broken and battered, the holographic interface long since sizzled out.

Close by however, there was another discarded object that she hadn't noticed before. She rose and made her way towards it, reaching out an arm to grab the small plastic bag and held it open, peering at the contents inside.

Chocolate. Not only that, but he had somehow found Monster chocolate, in this city where barely any lived. The pieces fell together in her mind. He had bought this for her… and had ran ahead of the others to bring it to her.

She clutched the bag to her chest. She wanted to wail, wanted to cry out in rage, but even though she opened her mouth, nothing came out.

She walked unsteadily back to her boyfriend, falling to her knees beside him, still holding the small bag close to her.

That was how Toriel found them, appearing at the mouth of the alleyway with Asgore close behind. She let out a small gasp as Chara raised her head, tears running down her face.

"What happened here?" she asked, rushing forward to the two, kneeling as soon as she reached the boy and letting healing magic flow out to encompass him. Asgore followed, albeit slower and looked carefully around the alleyway, his gaze pausing as it fell on the scattered Human corpses.

"Can you heal him?" Chara asked, her voice pleading.

Toriel didn't miss that she was avoiding the question, but she focused her efforts on the boy. After a few minutes, she lowered her hands, her eyes sorrowful.

"Chara…"

The girl knew what she was going to say, but stubbornly held onto her denial.

"No. No, you have to be able to help him! He can't… You can't let him…"

"Chara, no-one has ever recovered from Falling Down before."Toriel said quietly, pain and grief evident in her features as she looked at her trembling daughter. "It's only a matter of time before-"

"No!" Chara shouted, getting to her feet, magic leaking from her right eye. "There has to be a way! We can't just let him die like this!"

"Chara…" Asgore tried.

"What about Alphys? She knows more about souls than anyone! She has to be able to help!"

"This is different," Asgore said gently, though tears glistened at the corners of his eyes. "The only time she brought people back from that was by accident, and they became the Amalgamates."

"I have to try," Chara replied through gritted teeth. "I'll take him there myself if I have to!"

Before her parents could argue her, there was a soft whooshing sound and suddenly Sans was there. He scanned the alleyway in a moment, the white dots in the middle of his sockets shrinking at the sight of the dead Humans.

"Looks like I was late to the party. What's going on here?"

"Kid was attacked," Chara explained tersely, while gently picking up Kid and cradling him carefully in her arms. "I'm taking him back to Alphys."

Sans's gaze flicked to her parents for a moment, then to the unconscious reptile before he looked back at her.

"You know there isn't going to be another plane going back home for a couple days, and even if there was, it wouldn't get there in time."

"What do you care? You never do anything unless _everything's_ in danger! You're useless!"

"Chara!" Toriel gasped. Sans took a step towards the girl and lowered his voice so the others couldn't hear.

"You're angry and upset, so I'm just going to ignore that for now." A harsh blue light began shining from his left eye. "But I have fought harder than anyone for this. Don't you _dare_ tell me I don't care."

Chara flinched at that, taking a wary step away from the skeleton. He looked at her another moment before the light faded and he reached out his arms.

"Here, give him to me. I can get him back to Alphys real quick. I know a shortcut."

"But Mt. Ebott is on the other side of the world!" Asgore exclaimed incredulously. "Your shortcuts extend that far?"

The skeleton shrugged, not taking his sockets off the hesitant Chara.

"I'll be out of commission for about a week afterwards but… yeah."

Chara still hesitated for a moment, aware of the gazes of the other three Monsters on her. She looked down at Kid, the light from her red eyes dully reflecting off his scales.

"Alright, but I'm coming with you," she said, stepping towards the skeleton. Sans shook his head.

"Buddy, I've barely got the energy to make this trip, let alone with one extra person. I don't think I can handle a second one. So if you want Kid to get to Alphys and not, say… the middle of the ocean, I suggest you let me take care of this one."

"Listen to him, Chara," Toriel pleaded as the mechanical girl glared at the skeleton. "I understand your anger, but now is not the time for it."

The girl closed her eyes and took a deep breath before stepping towards Sans, gently maneuvering Kid so that he sat at the skeleton's feet.

"Fine. Take him to Alphys. But I'm coming after you."

"And how are you going to manage that, kiddo?"

In response, Chara rolled her shoulders and two thin, curved metal rods extended from her back, just below her neck. They curved up and out, extending about three feet in either direction. Once they stopped extending, each one glowed brightly for a couple seconds before a sheet of energy extended from them, nearly touching the ground.

She flapped her new wings experimentally.

"Like this."

Her parents stared blankly at her, but Sans seemed unsurprised.

"Alright. See you there, then."

"Sans!" Toriel exclaimed. "Can I have a word with you for a minute?"

"Is now really the time, Mom?" Chara asked angrily, even as Sans walked towards her. When Toriel didn't answer, the mechanical girl let out a frustrated noise and crossed her arms, alternating between watching the two and looking back down at Kid.

"Sup, Tori?" Sans asked once the woman had pulled him to the side. Asgore had stayed behind, and was attempting to soothe Chara.

"Why did you tell her that she could follow you?" Toriel whispered angrily. "I do not know when she got those wings, but she cannot fly across an entire ocean with them!"

"I think you'd be surprised." Sans sighed. "Look, right now, it's the best option. She can't be a part of the meeting anymore, not if we want continued peace between Humans and Monsters."

Toriel glanced to the scattered bodies.

"Do you think she did this?"

"More than think, I _know_. She's angry and upset right now, and it's better for her to use that energy flying across the ocean than have to stay here and find some… other way of letting that out."

"She doesn't have to come to the meeting," Toriel argued. "She can stay in the hotel, but-"

"If she does that, best-case scenario; she ends up flying out here anyways. Worst-case… You know she's never been the biggest fan of Humans, and this incident hasn't helped that opinion any. Trust me, Tori, it's for the best."

The Boss Monster looked at him for a moment, before deflating slightly.

"Very well. She can go. But Sans…" She gave him a hard look. "When this meeting is over, and we come back, you and I are going to have a talk. And you are going to tell me _everything_." She leaned in a little closer. "Do I make myself clear? No more secrets."

Sweat began beading on the skeleton's skull. He looked into Toriel's eyes, and saw no means of escape. He sighed.

"Alright, Tori."

Sans walked back to the boy, ignoring the angry "Finally!" from Chara. He laid both his hands on the boy, and in a moment, they were gone.

"Be careful, alright Chara?" Toriel called to Chara as she took off. But she didn't respond, instead flapping her wings as hard as she could to build up speed while avoiding the buildings in the way. She rarely used the wings, because they were such a big drain on her battery, but she'd use every drop of her magic to fuel herself across the ocean if she had to.

She still held the bag close to her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... am I gonna have to return my Protect Monster KId Association member card then?


	28. Judge, Jury and Executioner (Part 2)

Undyne rolled over in bed, her fins scraping across the pillows. An arm reached out to pull her wife closer to her, but it found nothing but empty space.

She groaned, opening her eye to stare blearily about the room. Sure enough, no-one else was there. She shifted over to look at the clock sitting on the nightstand close by. Three in the morning. Way too early to even be thinking about getting up.

The fish-woman couldn't hear Alexander crying, so either Alphys had calmed him already, or it wasn't their son at all, and she had just snuck out of bed during the night again.

Why couldn't I have married someone with a normal sleep schedule? Undyne grumbled internally, getting out of bed and stumbling towards the door of their dark room, her overlong tank top just barely keeping her decent. Not that she was worried about that anyway, it was only her family in the house right now.

She fumbled around for the door handle, and pulled it open, first going slightly down the hardwood floor of the hallway to check on Alexander in the next room. Opening the door, she took a quick glance around the messy room to see the boy sleeping soundly in his crib, his arms and legs twitching slightly as he dreamed.

She looked at him for a few moments, warmth flooding through her and a huge grin spreading across her face at the sight of her son. She would never get over the incredible feeling of being a mother. After a few moments, she closed the door quietly so as not to wake him.

Well, if Alphys wasn't there, that probably meant she was in the lab. Again. Undyne shuffled to the stairs leading back to the main floor, once again mentally berating herself for letting Alphys set up a lab in the basement. She'd thought that it would mean the reptile would spend more time at home, and less at her other lab, but apparently it just meant late-night expeditions to work on some idea she got in the middle of the night.

Vowing to herself that she was going to drag her wife back to bed by the tail whether she liked it or not, Undyne's feet just touched the simple red rug at the bottom of the stairs when Sans suddenly popped into existence right in front of the door leading outside. Undyne was startled to full wakefulness, suddenly grateful that she tended to buy her shirts extra long.

"Sans, what are you doing here?" She asked harshly. "There's a reason you're supposed to knock first!"

The skeleton was hunched over, huffing with exertion. Sweat poured from his skull, dripping down into his eye sockets and drenching his hoodie. At his feet was Kid. The boy toppled limply over to land softly on another rug. Undyne's eye widened as she took in his tattered shirt and the cuts crisscrossing his torso, flecks of dust clinging to the edges of the wounds.

"What the hell? Sans, what's going on!?"

"Kid… hurt really badly." Sans managed between wheezes. "Where's... Alphys?"

Undyne whipped out her cell phone, rapidly punching in Alphys's number. Since the reptile had insisted on installing an elevator to go down to the basement instead of stairs like a normal person, it would be a lot faster if the woman just came up on her own.

"U-undyne?" Alphys's voice came through the speaker. "I'll be back soon, I promise, I just-"

"Alphys, you need to come up here. Now." Undyne's voice was firm, leaving no doubt that she was serious. There was a clicking sound from the other end, and Undyne knew that her wife would be coming up as quickly as she could.

Sans had stumbled over to the couch, sinking down into it gratefully. Undyne carefully lifted Kid up and brought him there too. She laid him gently on the cushions, keeping his head supported by the armrest, then straightened, her eye flicking from the two unexpected guests, to the elevator doors and back again.

Undyne was fuming. Whoever had done this was going to _pay_. She looked back at Sans, who'd closed his sockets, his shoulders still shaking with exertion. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a dinging noise as the elevator opened and Alphys scuttled out from it.

"Undyne? What's wrong?" The scientist's eyes lighted on Kid. She made a noise somewhere between a shriek and a gasp, and ran over to the boy. "Oh no, what happened? What's going on? What-"

Sans cracked open a socket.

"Alphys, he Fell Down." The skeleton said tiredly, earning another gasp from the scientist. "We thought… Chara thought that you might be able to help."

"Me?" Alphys squeaked. "I-I can't, I'll mess it up, I don't know how-"

"Alphys, I need you to try." Sans said, and Undyne could detect a faint hint of desperation in his voice. "You saved Undyne right? If anyone can figure out how to help, it's you."

Alphys looked over at Undyne, fear reflecting in her eyes. The fish women swiftly scooped up the smaller reptile and raised her so that she could press her forehead to Alphys's own.

"You are strong," she whispered. "You are in control. You can do this." She leaned back and gave her a toothy grin. "I don't know what's going on here, but I'll take care care of Sans. You go work your nerd magic and save the day, okay babe?"

Alphys blinked then nodded slowly. When Undyne lowered her to the ground, she turned to the boy.

"Umm, I'm going to need some help… can you bring him down to my lab?"

"Sure thing. I'm gonna need to grab some pants anyway."

 

Undyne slammed the door of her truck shut and had to keep herself from twisting the key in the ignition too hard. She'd already lost enough keys by snapping them in there, and losing another really wasn't going to help her mood right now.

The old blue truck rumbled to life, and she spared a quick glance to the skeleton in the seat beside her. He'd not made any objections when she'd told him she would drive him back home. Which was good, because he was in no condition to get home alone, and she needed answers.

"What the hell happened?" Undyne asked, pulling the truck out of the driveway and onto the abandoned street. "I thought you guys were in Paris!"

"We were," Sans said, weariness lacing his voice. "I took a shortcut."

"You can _do_ that?"

"Barely," the skeleton admitted, somehow slumping even deeper into his seat. "Didn't really have much of a choice though. Kid got separated from us, and was ambushed by a group of Humans. He was in real bad shape by the time I got there."

Undyne's knuckles paled as she tightened her grip on the wheel.

"Who did it? When I get my hands on them, they're _dead_."

Sans gave a hollow laugh.

"They're already dead. Chara found them first."

Undyne looked back at Sans for a second, before returning her attention to the road.

"Guess I shouldn't be surprised. If I ever found Alphys like that... ." She growled at the thought, not noticing as pale teal light began to shine from behind her eyepatch.

Sans was silent, and they quickly reached the house he shared with his brother. He didn't get out of the vehicle right away however.

"Undyne… listen. I'm gonna be… out of commission for a while. Chara's probably going to be home in a day or two… She took an early flight back. Can you watch out for her?"

"Of course! I'll call the station and let em' know. This is more important than work."

Still he hesitated.

"Watch her carefully, okay? She's gonna be upset and angry, and I'm worried that she's gonna do something we all regret. And for the love of mercy, _don't antagonize her_."

Undyne looked at him in bewilderment.

"What are you talking about, Sans?"

The skeleton shook his head slowly.

"Never mind… it doesn't matter. Just be careful okay? Now if you don't mind…" He finally opened the car door. "I'm gonna go sleep like the dead."

"Try and actually make it to your bed this time!" Undyne called after him, though Sans didn't respond as he shut the door and trudged back to his house.

"Weird," she muttered, pulling out of the driveway. "It almost sounded like he was… afraid of Chara." She narrowed her eye. Something strange was going on, and she didn't like it one bit.

There was no way she was going to be able to get back to sleep tonight.

 

Undyne sat at the piano in the living room, trying to relax by playing the songs she had composed. Spear of Justice didn't seem to be cutting it right now, so she switched to the new song she'd written; "The Heroine Appears."

She glanced over the the couch as she played, making sure Alexander was still where she had left him. A soft smile caressed her features upon seeing her son still curled up on the cushion, sleeping soundly. For whatever reason, listening to her play the piano always lulled him to sleep, something Undyne was grateful for. Especially when he was in a more adventurous mood.

Her phone blared suddenly, causing her to start in surprise, then quickly fumble for it, pulling it up to her face.

"Who is this?" she demanded, checking to make sure the sudden noise hadn't woken Alexander up, relieved to find out that it hadn't.

"Where's Kid?" It was Chara, her tone filled with anger, fear, and just a trace amount of weariness. "He's not in the lab, and Alphys isn't answering her phone. **Where is he?!** "

"He's in our basement;" Undyne found herself saying, slightly stunned at Chara's voice. "Alphys is-"

But Chara had already hung up. Undyne slowly lowered the phone, staring blankly at it for a moment. Chara… she hadn't sounded like herself at all. Something about it was... unsettling.

There was the swish of elevator doors, and Alphys emerged from them, rubbing her hands together nervously.

"How is he?" Undyne asked, focusing on her wife.

Alphys shook her head.

"I've done what I can… but no Monster has ever survived Falling Down before." She hesitated. "Well, not properly anyway. There's umm... not much else I can do. I'll keep monitoring him but…" She shrugged helplessly. "Either he'll wake up… or he won't."

Undyne stood, walking around the piano and kneeling down so that she was at eye level with Alphys.

"Hey, you know your stuff better than anyone. He'll pull through, you'll see. And uh, I think you're not gonna have to worry so much about monitoring him."

Alphys looked at her questioningly.

"I just got a call from Chara. I think she's coming here now." She hesitated for a second then said, "Could you bring Alexander upstairs? And uh, maybe you should stay up there with him for now."

"Is something wrong?"

"Just a hunch," was the vague reply. Alphys chewed her lip for a moment before nodding and walking over to the couch, scooping Alexander up into her arms. The small reptile opened his eyes slightly and gave a tired squeak at the disturbance.

"It's okay, little one," Alphys soothed, and Undyne couldn't help but smile at the tenderness in her voice. "Okaa's just bringing you to your crib, okay?"

Alexander yawned widely, then snuggled into Alphys's chest, his tiny hands fisting her lab coat as his eyes closed again.

Not long after the two had gone upstairs, the door flung open and Chara burst into the room, her eyes wild and her hair dishevelled. There was a small plastic bag clutched in her hand. She focused on Undyne and stepped towards her.

"Where's- "

"I'll take you to him." Undyne opened the elevator doors, but somehow Chara was inside before she was. Undyne followed, hitting the button to bring them down.

The ride seemed to take an eternity, especially since Chara was fidgeting so hard.

"The elevator won't go faster no matter how much you do that you know."

Chara shot her a glare, but said nothing, disregarding Undyne's advice.

Finally, the elevator doors opened, and immediately, Chara bolted out of the elevator and down the short hallway into the lab, Undyne hurrying after her. By the time the fish woman had reached the lab, Chara was already standing over the hospital style bed Alphys had set up for Kid.

The boy was unmoving, but for the slight rise and fall of his chest. Chara gripped the side rails with her free hand and stared down at him.

"He's still alive…" her voice was shaky with relief, but that only lasted a brief moment before she whipped her head around at Undyne.

"Is he going to be okay?" she demanded.

"We don't know yet." Undyne admitted. "Alphys said she did everything she could-"

"Well, tell her to do more!" Chara interrupted. Undyne narrowed her eye at the mechanical girl.

"She's doing everything she can." A warning tone had crept into Undyne's voice. "We're not gonna just let Kid die."

Chara bit back a snarl and walked stiffly to the other side of the room, grabbing a chair that had been left there and pulling it over to where Kid lay and seating herself. Undyne watched her as she settled into it, waiting for the girl to say something, but there was nothing. After a few minutes, the fish woman turned on her heel and left the lab.

Upstairs, she found Alphys waiting for her.

"W-well?"

"Chara's in the basement, looks like she's watching over Kid," Undyne reported. Then she sighed. "Remind me to talk to Sans about all this when he wakes up. If he doesn't know anything, then I'm a fairy princess."

Alphys's gaze went hazy as the image of a small Undyne with fairy wings wearing a pink dress and a tiara flashed through her mind.

"That's so cute!" she squealed. Undyne stared blankly at her.

"Wha- that wasn't the part you were supposed to focus on, nerd!" But despite her protest, she grinned, and had to admit she felt a little better for it. "Anyways, I'll see what he has to say, but… I think maybe we should go stay with someone else for a while until this is over."

"Umm, why?" Alphys asked nervously.

"Well, think of it this way… if I found out that you had Fallen Down, and I wasn't sure if you were going to survive… do you think it would be safe to be around me?" Undyne scratched at her arm just beneath her DT recycler. "I don't think she'd try anything on purpose, but that doesn't mean nothing would happen."

"O-okay, I'll make some calls then. I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out." Alphys hesitated for a moment, rubbing her hands together. "Umm, I might still need to check on Kid, see if there's anything else I can do to help…"

"Just let me know if you do, okay? I want to make sure I'm there in case something does happen."

"I think I can manage that, and she has to power down sometimes anyways." Alphys smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. Then she started, remembering something.

"Did you call Napstablook?"

Undyne blinked.

"Napstablook? Why would I need to-" she stopped and slapped a hand to her forehead. "Dammit, I _knew_ I was forgetting something," she groaned. "This is just one big disaster, isn't it?"

Alphys nodded reluctantly, but grasped Undyne's hand in her own.

"It's okay… we'll make it through this… somehow…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got some things coming up this week, so I will be uploading the next chapter on Thursday morning instead of the evening. Posts will resume as normal afterwards.


	29. Judge, Jury and Executioner (Part 3)

Sans stood outside Toriel's house. He'd been here for almost five minutes now, debating whether or not he should knock.

No, that wasn't entirely true. He knew he had to. Some part of him had always known that this day would come. He was just delaying the inevitable.

He sighed, rubbing the front of his skull with his hand. This was bad. According to Undyne, Chara had barely said a word since she got back, and had spent the entire week he'd been out of commission by Kid's bedside. He'd talked to Alphys… there was nothing they could do for now except wait and hope he woke up. If he didn't…

Sans had seen the anger and grief on Chara's face as she held Kid close to her. If he died, there was no doubt in his mind that she would kill again, and that would destroy everything they'd worked so hard towards in the past few years.

And now, the others were back from Paris. Apparently, at least the meeting itself had gone fairly smoothly. Which Sans appreciated. Chara was bad enough, he didn't want to have to fight a war on two fronts.

Maybe… maybe it was for the best that Toriel wanted him to spill the beans. If she knew everything, maybe she'd be able to help him salvage something from this disaster. He was so tired of dealing with all of this alone...

Ah well. Might as well get it over with. He took the last step forwards and rapped his knuckles sharply on the wooden door. After a few moments it opened to reveal Toriel, dressed in her old faded blue robe. She looked down at him for a moment before opening the door wide enough to allow the skeleton passage.

She didn't say anything, so Sans didn't either. Once he was inside, he followed her to the living room to find that she had set up the two reading chairs across from each other. She took a seat in one, and gestured to the other.

As Sans settled himself in, Toriel spoke.

"Frisk and Asgore are not here. I believe it is best that I hear what you have to say alone. You may begin whenever you're ready."

Sans sighed and folded his hands together in his lap as he watched the former queen.

"Alright, but on one condition. There's a lot of things to be said, and I have had very good reason for not telling anyone before now. So I want you to wait until I finish before you say anything. After that…" He shrugged. "Well, I guess we'll see."

Toriel stared at him for a moment, before inclining her head in acquiescence. The skeleton leaned back and closed his sockets.

"Everything, huh? Where do I even begin…" He chuckled. "The beginning, I guess. But where even is the beginning in this whole mess? Complicated beginnings… let's start with that.

"When you met Frisk, you felt like you had seen him before. You knew he liked butterscotch more than cinnamon, and when you tried to stop him from leaving, you had the uncomfortable feeling that he had seen you die before. Sound about right?"

He cracked open a socket, and Toriel's shocked expression told him everything he needed to know.

"You felt that way because it was true. You had seen him before, and he had seen you die. Because Frisk… and Chara, had the power to manipulate time.

"I still don't have much more than theories on how it all works, though when that Defiler guy showed up, it filled in some of the blanks. While we were in the Underground, Frisk and Chara had the power to Save certain moments in time, allowing them to go back to them anytime they wished. This even prevented them from dying, since they could go back to their last Save at the moment of death and try again, with no one being the wiser.

"I'm pretty sure the power stemmed from Chara, but it was Frisk's Determination that amplified it to the point where it was as powerful as it was. So they needed each other to keep that power, even though they spent the entire time fighting for control.

"You remember how when Chara revealed herself, she said she had been angry? Well, that was a bit of an understatement. Frisk wanted… well, you've seen what he wanted. That's what he did this time around. Befriend everyone. Help everyone. Bring us up to the surface and out of the darkness below. But Chara…

"Whenever she took control, she would kill. It didn't matter who they were, she didn't care. She just wanted to destroy everything. And she almost did. For a while, Frisk was able to fight her on equal terms. She'd take control for a while, but Frisk would eventually come out on top again, and restart the timeline all the way back to just before he met you. But eventually, Chara overpowered him.

"That was the timeline just before this one. She took control from the start and held it all the way through.

"Tori, I watched her. She killed everyone. Papyrus, Mettaton, Undyne, Muffet, everyone she came across. Even you. By the end of it, only me, Asgore and Alphys were left, along with whoever Alphys managed to get away from Chara's knife. That would have been the end of it but… I stopped her in Judgement hall. I stalled her long enough for Frisk to take back control and restart everything.

"After that, she didn't seem to be a problem anymore. She rarely took control, and when she did, she never hurt anyone. When we got to the surface, Frisk took me to the side and told me everything. I'd already pieced together some of it myself, but he filled in most of the blanks. For whatever reason, I'm more aware of the timelines than other people. Still not sure why, but it made for an… interesting experience back in the Underground.

"Since we left though, there hasn't been any messing with the timelines at all. And now that Chara and Frisk are separated, I don't think either of them can manipulate time anymore."

He opened his sockets and leaned forward, looking straight at Toriel, whose head was lowered, her body visibly trembling.

"But that's not the problem. Chara has changed a lot since then. I never thought I'd say this, but I actually like the kid now. But she still has the capacity to kill. She has done it before and she can do it again. She's angry and hurting right now. If we're not careful, she may be reminding us of that truth sooner rather than later."

He finally fell silent, keeping his eyes trained on the Boss Monster before him. He'd just dumped a lot of information on her. He expected her to lash out, to deny everything that he'd just said, especially the idea that her daughter was a killer.

He did not expect her to whisper; "I'm sorry."

He blinked in confusion.

"Tori… It's not your fault. You had nothing to do with this."

She shook her head slowly, then raised it, looking at Sans with sorrow in her eyes.

"Not that… I am sorry you had to carry this burden alone. I have been such a fool not to have seen this sooner. You are the Judge, aren't you?"

Sans stiffened.

"You… know about that?"

Toriel gestured to where the kingdom's symbol was woven into her robe, three triangles beneath a winged circle.

"Do you know what this signifies?"

"Yeah… the triangles are us Monsters, and the circle represents the Angel." He shrugged. "Or the Humans, depends on who you ask. Why, is it important?"

"That is what it came to mean," Toriel said quietly. "But this symbol existed long before the prophecy, long before we were sealed Underground. And back then, it had a different meaning."

She pointed to the triangles. "These symbolized three Monsters, each given great power, enough to rival and surpass Boss Monsters. They acted as advisors and people of great influence under the Boss Monster clans, symbolized by the winged circle here." She gave a grim smile. "Or under the ruling family, after most of the clans were decimated.

"The Judge was one of these three roles, but they were never meant to exist in a vacuum. You were supposed to be supported by your brethren, instead of being forced to deal with your situation alone.

"The Judge I knew died not long before I left Asgore. I had not thought he would continue appointing them in my absence. He never fully understood their roles… or their power."

Sans was silent. He probably couldn't speak even if he'd wanted to. He'd known that the role of Judge was an important one, and he'd even known that at least a part of his power stemmed from it somehow. But he had never guessed at anything like this.

"The Judge was the voice of justice." Toriel continued. "And his was the final say among the three. The next role, was the voice of the people. The Jury. That was my role." She gave a bitter laugh. " _Is_ my role. Even though I left Asgore and abandoned my duties, I never stopped being the Jury. And because of that, a new one could not be appointed to support you."

Sans finally found his voice hiding somewhere under his chair.

"And the third?" He managed.

"The third could not be appointed like the others. It was not a role to give, but one you were born with. The last of them perished near the beginning of the war, when Humans turned on us. The third is the one Monster who possesses Determination. The Executioner."

"That sounds uh… a little ominous."

"The Executioner's role was mostly to carry out the decisions agreed upon by the Judge and Jury. That rarely entailed actually hurting anyone but..."

Toriel's voice trailed off and she sighed.

"I was the first Boss Monster to be appointed to one of these roles. Now… I think I understand why they were meant for regular Monsters."

The two fell silent, each pondering what the other had told them. After several minutes, Toriel spoke up again.

"About Chara… Are you certain?"

"Yeah." Sans replied. "We might want to get Undyne in on this too… She's the Executioner isn't she?"

Toriel winced. "Yes… I suppose so."

"Well, between the three of us, maybe we can figure something out. We need to keep Chara from hurting anyone.

"Including herself."


	30. Judge, Jury and Executioner (Part 4)

Grey clouds covered the sky, lightly drizzling rain down onto the earth below, where a blue-scaled fish woman walked quickly down the streets. She wore a light leather jacket and black pants, and in one hand clutched a cd case, covered slightly under her open jacket to protect it from the rain.

She turned off the sidewalk, heading towards Asgore and Toriel's home. Upon reaching the door, she knocked loudly, then crossed her arms in front of her chest, her foot tapping the ground impatiently, and the grim look adorning her face deepened almost impossibly.

Fortunately, Undyne did not have long to wait. It was only a few moments before the door opened to reveal Toriel. The Boss Monster gave her a worried look and stepped to the side, allowing the other woman passage into the house.

"I brought it," Undyne said quietly, stepping inside and removing her shoes swiftly.

Toriel simply nodded in reply, and Undyne swiftly made her way into the living room, the other woman following close behind, their footfalls silent on the wooden floor.

Sans looked up from where he was fiddling with the dvd player just under the tv, the lights in his sockets resting briefly on both women before he stood up, shoving his hands back in his pockets. Undyne glared at him for a moment before looking about the room.

"Where's Frisk and Asgore?"

"I sent them out to the garden," Toriel replied. "They're both worried about Chara, and they find it relaxing out there. Besides, it's for the best this remain between the three of us."

Undyne snorted, running her fingers through her wet hair.

"Right… this whole Judge, Jury and Executioner thing. You guys sure gave me a lot to think about the other day, that's for damn sure."

"I am sorry, that's my fault," Toriel lowered her head. "I knew what you were, and I should have realized what Sans was. I should have explained this all sooner, instead of throwing it all at you at the last minute."

"You took it pretty well though," Sans spoke up. "I gotta say, I was pretty impressed."

"Have you _seen_ the stuff I watch? This is hardly the biggest plot-twist I've heard." Undyne grinned briefly, but it quickly faded. "Though to be honest, I didn't really believe everything. Certainly not that Chara's killed just about all of us before."

"You... didn't?" Sans noted. "Does that mean you changed your mind?"

Undyne's gaze flicked down to the cd case in her hand.

"Well… it's not as unbelievable as I thought it was," she said, with uncharacteristic carefulness. "It's… probably best if you see for yourself."

Toriel bit her lip as the fish woman handed the case to Sans, fearing what they were about to see.

_Please, Chara,_ she silently begged. _Do not make me lose you again._

Sans began to kneel down to insert the disc into the dvd player before stopping and turning his attention back to Undyne.

"Hang on… you've watched it already?"

"Alphys had to take the footage off the camera and put it on the dvd." Undyne explained. "After I got Alexander to sleep, I went to keep her company while she did it."

"Guess she's in on all this too, huh?" Sans muttered, turning back to the player and slipping the cd into it.

"I didn't tell her about the Resets or Chara's history or anything… she doesn't need to know that, it'd freak her out too much. She just knows that we're a group… and that Chara's taking this really badly," Undyne's hands balled into fists and clenched tight. "Not that I can really blame her, but…"

"Well, let's not put this off any longer," Sans muttered, and the three went to the couch and settled down, Sans grabbing the remote and turning on the tv, then pressing play.

The screen flickered to life, revealing Alphys's basement lab. Most of the usual machines and equipment had been moved off to the side, to make room for the hospital-style bed that sat near the wall. Two large machines sat on the left side of the bed, humming quietly to themselves and looming over the Monster boy lying in the bed. Kid lay unmoving, his head resting on a white pillow and pale blue sheets covering him up to his neck.

Seated in a chair beside right next to him was Chara. The girl's hands rested on the guardrails and her gaze was fixed on Kid. She was perfectly still, making no movements or sounds, just watching.

Sans glanced to the bottom left corner of the screen, where small numbers indicated the time of recording. Eight fifty-nine in the morning.

A few minutes ticked by, then another figure appeared on-screen, slowly making his way towards the bed. It was Napstablook. The ghost made no noise as he hovered up to where Kid lay, but Chara looked up as he approached, her gaze focusing on him for a moment before she turned back to her boyfriend.

The two were silent for some time, both of them watching over the unconscious teen before Napstablook spoke up. His voice was quiet , and the watchers leaned forward in an attempt to hear him better.

"I'm sorry… did you want to be alone? I can leave if you want…"

Chara shook her head, though she didn't look at away.

"No, it's fine. Out of everyone… you deserve to be here the most."

"Oh…" Napstablook faded slightly for a moment, before reforming himself.

"Do you think… he's going to be okay?"

Chara's grip on the guardrail tightened.

"I don't know," she said finally. Toriel flinched slightly at the quiver of pain in her daughter's synthetic tones. "I just… I don't know, Napstablook."

"Oh no…" The ghost murmured. "Is there… anything I can do to help?"

"Alphys said she's already done everything she can. He's either going to wake up… or he isn't," she glanced over at the ghost. "Though if you know anything that might be able to help him…"

"Oh no… I'm sorry... I don't really have much healing magic… if I tried, I'd probably just mess it up… oh no…"

Napstablook fell silent, and Chara did not reply to him for a few moments, instead, she reached out a hand towards Kid. She stopped just short of actually touching him though, slowly drawing her hand back, as if she feared he would crumble to dust if she so much as brushed against him.

"I don't think I ever thanked you," she said suddenly, turning Napstablook's attention back to her.

"Oh… for what?"

"For being there for him," Chara's voice was trembling slightly. "You've taken care of him, and helped him more than anyone else. You've been there for him when no one else was so… thank you."

"Oh no…" Napstablook faded with embarrassment for a moment before saying quietly;

"Um… thank you too… he's been a lot happier since he started dating you, so… um…"

Chara shook her head slowly, interrupting the ghost before he could continue.

"No, don't thank me. I'm the reason he's like this. If it wasn't for me, he'd have stayed home and been fine." Her voice was bitter, and traces of self-loathing could be made out in her synthetic tones.

"Oh no… I don't think it was you… I mean, you didn't attack him right? Um… I don't think it's your fault… oh… I'm sorry, I made it awkward, didn't I? I shouldn't have said anything…."

"It's okay," Chara was quiet for a moment, then said slowly; "You're right… it's not my fault." Her tone had changed, and there was a dangerous edge to it, causing Toriel to frown in concern.

The ghost stayed a few more minutes, before turning and leaving slowly, moving out of the camera's field of vision.

"Well, this is off to a good start," Sans muttered. Before he could say anything else though, he noticed the numbers in the corner of the screen jump from nine-fifteen to twelve-thirty.

"Wha- why did the time skip?" he demanded, whipping his head around to stare at Undyne who merely shrugged in response.

"There was a lot of blank spaces in the video. Basically, whenever there isn't someone else there, Chara just… sits there. If she says anything, it's too quiet for us to hear." Undyne grimaced. "Believe me… we went through the whole thing. So Alphys cut out everything but the important bits. Otherwise, we'd be here all day."

"Wait, this is… when I came in!" Toriel realized. Before she had even finished speaking, she appeared on screen, standing at the edge of their vision with a piece of pie on a plate.

"Chara?" she called. When there was no response, she hesitantly made her way towards her daughter, setting the slice down on the chair beside her.

"Chara… Alphys tells me you've been here since you got back." Toriel's voice was soft, and full of concern. "I understand you are concerned for him, but you don't need to stay here the entire time. We're worried about you."

Chara shook her head, not looking away from Kid.

"I can't leave, Mom. I have to be here when he wakes up," her hands clenched. "If he wakes up."

"Alphys will let you know the moment he wakes up-" Toriel tried.

"I can't."

Toriel sighed, padding over to Chara and sinking to her knees, wrapping her arms around the girl in a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry you have to go through this," she whispered, her voice barely audible to the listeners. "But we love you, and we want to help you. You do not have to suffer alone."

Chara was silent, and did not respond to Toriel's embrace. Even so, Toriel stayed as she was for a time, before reluctantly standing.

"I brought you something to eat. I will leave you alone if that's what you want, but if you need someone, even just to sit with you…"

Still no response. Toriel sighed sadly, then turned and walked off screen.

"I'm sorry, Tori," Sans said, looking over to where the Boss Monster trembled in her seat.

"It's so hard to see her like this…" Toriel managed. "I just want to help ease her pain, but if she will not allow me in…"

"We'll make it right, Tori." Despite Sans's assurance, he didn't sound convinced. He looked to Undyne who was still staring at the screen, her hands clenched tight.

The time jumped again, taking them to just after two o' clock. This time, it was Asgore who appeared on screen, taking Toriel by surprise.

"He did not tell me he went to see her…"

"I'm not surprised," Undyne replied quietly. When the other two shot questioning looks at her, she just shrugged. "You'll see why in a minute."

"Chara?" Asgore called, halting not far in front of the bed, and glancing at the untouched piece of pie sitting at the chair before returning his attention to his daughter.

"Hey, Dad," Chara's voice was tired, and slightly strained… but she had actually answered.

The former king walked up to the chair and moved the untouched slice onto Kid's bed, then settled himself into the seat.

"How is he?"

"No change," Chara replied dully. "I've been watching him for over week now, and there's been nothing. He's barely breathing, and his magic is so weak I can barely feel it." She began to tremble.

Asgore reached out and put an arm around Chara's shoulders, pulling her close to him. She did not respond… but she did not resist either.

"I am so sorry." His back was to the camera, but the onlookers could hear the tears in his voice. "I'm… I'm sure he will recover though.'

"You can't promise that."

"No… but I wish I could."

Father and daughter were quiet for a few moments, then Chara spoke up again.

"Dad? Do you ever wonder...if you were right?"

Asgore pulled away slightly, looking to the mechanical girl in confusion.

"Right about what?"

"About the war," Chara said, looking to him, pulling back as well. "You were going to get the souls, become a god and wipe out humanity… so that Monsters could live in peace. What if you were right?"

"Chara…"

"Monsters would never have done something like this," Chara continued. "He was attacked for no reason. If he dies… it's their fault."

"Chara, the men responsible for this are already gone." Asgore attempted to place his hand over Chara's, but she pulled it away at the last second. "I understand your anger and your grief… but I was wrong."

"Were you?" Chara asked. "This will happen again. How many innocent Monsters have to die to Human hands? Maybe we should make sure that never happens."

"You cannot blame all of Humanity for this. Frisk is Human, and his actions allowed us to escape our prison."

"Which Monsters would never have been sealed in if it wasn't for Humanity."

Asgore hesitated, seemingly unsure of what to say. Chara's gaze remained on him for a moment, before she turned back to Kid.

"Maybe I did it wrong last time." Her voice had gone flat and emotionless. "I'm strong enough now to do it alone. Maybe I have to be the one to protect our people."

"Chara… you are not suggesting-"

Chara looked back to him, and while the onlookers could not quite see the emotion in her red eyes, whatever Asgore saw had him flinching back in fear. He opened his mouth, but no words came.

When Chara looked away again, he rose shakily to his feet. He appeared unable to look back at his daughter, and left the room as quickly as his trembling legs would allow him.

"She… she wouldn't would she?" Toriel asked, her voice choked and tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "She's not really planning to…"

"You know she's never liked Humanity, Tori," Sans said quietly. "I'm not surprised she's blaming them for this."

"But this…"

"Wouldn't be the first time."

Toriel began to sob quietly into her hands and Sans paused the video for a moment to let give her a chance to compose herself. While he waited, he glanced over to Undyne.

"How much more is there?"

"Just one. And it's… bad," Undyne looked sympathetically at Toriel, putting a hand on the Boss Monster's shoulder in an attempt at comfort. "Take your time… you're going to want to brace yourself for this."

"You don't have to stay-" Sans began.

"I do," Toriel sniffed then raised her head, wiping tears from her eyes. "Lets finish this… then we'll figure out how to help keep her from this."

Sans resumed the video, and a few moments later, the time jumped again on screen, signifying it was four o' clock. Toriel 's eyes widened.

"F-Frisk went to check on her… he said he was going to try and bring her back for dinner…"

Sure enough, the teenage boy appeared on screen, shuffling quietly over to Chara. He hesitated upon reaching her, then gently put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched at the contact then snapped her head around to glare at him.

"Easy, sis," Frisk raised his hands in surrender. "It's just me."

"Not now, Frisk," Chara growled, turning away from him.

"Hey, look, we're all worried about Kid," Frisk soothed, moving a little closer to her. "But Mom and Dad are really worried about you too. Look, you should come back for some food, we'll bring you right back afterwards, but-"

"I said," Chara shoved Frisk roughly away and rose, her eyes shining brightly. "Not. Now! _Frisk_!"

Frisk's surprised gasp was mirrored by Toriel's own as Chara gestured, and the boy looked down to see his soul emerge from his body to float just outside his chest. He looked back up, his eyes wide as Chara's right eye glowed with power and three orbs of red energy formed behind her head. He let out a yelp and jumped away, narrowly managing to dodge them as they fired at him. He paused for a moment after avoiding the attack, only to sprint to the door as Chara conjured five more and fired them at him.

Once he was gone, Chara stood stock-still for a few moment, her magic fading, before slowly walking back to her seat and settling back into it, resuming her vigil.

Toriel's hands were covering her mouth, her gaze filled with horror.

"He… never told me about that!" She managed.

"Of course he didn't," Sans muttered, his sockets dark as he turned off the television. "He's Frisk."

"Sans, if any of those had hit him…"

"I know."

"I'm really sorry, Tori," Undyne's said quietly.

"It is not… your fault." Toriel managed after a moment.

"So then… what do we do?" Sans asked.

"We must… prepare for the worst." Toriel replied, composing herself behind her Queen mask. "If Kid does not wake up… we may not be able to stop her from losing herself completely."

"If the power she already has is fuelled by an actual desire to kill, I don't know if I can stop her this time," Sans admitted. "She's uh… a lot more powerful than she was when I fought her. If not as durable."

"If we cannot dissuade her from this path, is there a way we can stop her without killing her?" Toriel's voice was surprisingly steady. "Once she has had time to calm down, she may reconsider, as Asgore did."

"Well…" Undyne spoke up, drawing the attention of the other two to her. "I actually talked to Alphys about that little after we watched through last night."

"And?" Sans prompted.

"She might be able to make a shut-down command for her body. She's actually working on it right now. We could shut her body down, but leave her intact. Give her some time to calm herself."

"Good idea… thank you." Toriel's gaze switched to Sans. "You have… more experience with this side of Chara than I do. If Kid survives, do you think she will still want to…?"

Sans was silent for a few moments, thinking it over.

"I can't say for sure. We'd have to watch her but… I don't think she really wants to do this. If he pulls through, she won't have a reason to commit genocide anymore."

"I see," Toriel looked back to Undyne. "Kid has been in this state for eleven days now. That is already longer than I have ever known a Monster to survive while Fallen Down. Do you know how much longer he has?"

"Can't be more than two or three days," Undyne admitted reluctantly. "Even with everything Alphys did… as long as he stays like this his body's not generating any magic. If he doesn't wake up soon, there won't be enough left to sustain his form."

"Then we do what we can in the meantime. Make sure we are ready if she should fall. Sans, you should speak with Papyrus and some of the others. Keep an eye on her, but if anyone, your brother may be able to help her now. If we can, we must avoid the worst coming to pass."


	31. Judge, Jury and Executioner (Final)

Chara sat in her chair, her head bowed, one hand absently grasping at the guard rail by Kid's bed. Other than the sound of the machines quietly humming to themselves, there was no noise, allowing her to focus on her internal task of shutting down her emotions one by one.

A task that had been made difficult as Papyrus had come in earlier. He'd spent several hours trying to cheer her up. She'd had to resort to false enthusiasm to get him to leave her be. The skeleton was relentless with his assault of cheer and assurances, and she didn't have time for that. Not now, when even to her limited senses, Kid's magical signature was growing weaker by the day.

Some part in the back of her mind told her she should feel guilty over her family. She'd seen the hurt in Toriel's eyes when she ignored her, the fear in her father's when she spoke of war. The disbelief in her brother's when she had attacked him. She couldn't bring herself to care. Right now, only one thing mattered.

Unbidden, memories of Asriel rose in her mind. Her brother. Her best friend. The first real friend she had. He had saved her life, in more ways than one. She had never experienced love before, and he'd introduced her to a family that had so much of it to give… and they'd chosen to give it to her.

And he had been taken from her, by the Humans. And now, Kid, who she loved in a way she'd never loved anyone else before, was dying. Because of Humans. She tightened her fists. Well, if they were so desperate to keep her from love… she knew of another kind she would happily share with them.

She let out a small groan and rubbed at her eyes. It was the waiting. That was what was killing her. She needed to know if Kid was going to make it or not. Then… then she would know what to do next.

She was so focused on her struggle to shut herself down emotionally, that she almost didn't hear the soft voice saying her name in a questioning tone. She frowned and looked up, stopping short when she realized no-one else was there. Had Napstablook come in, fully transparent? But even if he had, she should have sensed his-

"Chara?" the weak voice asked again, and the girl turned her attention to the bed, her eyes widening and a quiet gasp escaping her lips. Kid's eyes were half open, and Chara trembled slightly under his soft brown gaze.

"Kid?" She managed.

"Sorry I'm late…"

It took all of Chara's willpower not to throw herself onto the bed and wrap her arms around the teen and never let go. Instead, she stood up, quickly undoing the clasps that held the guardrail in place the putting it to the side so she could easily reach over and put a trembling hand on Kid's chest. The boy looked up at her in concern, his head spikes pressing into his pillow as he angled his head.

"Chara? Are you okay?"

That broke the dam. All the emotions she had been holding back suddenly burst through in a tidal wave that nearly had physical force. Her hand drew back and she sank to her knees, then allowed her chest and head to fall onto the bed, quickly beginning to stain it with her tears. Between great, wracking sobs, she managed to choke out;

"Kid, I… I thought I lost you!"

There was a shuffling sound, and Chara felt the blanket she was partially lying on shift back and forth repeatedly. She sniffed, looking up through a haze of tears to see Kid wiggling himself towards her, rustling the blankets in his efforts.

"Kid, you shouldn't-"

"Yo, Chara," he interrupted, not stopping in his motions until he'd brought himself close enough that their faces were right across from each other. "Don't worry, I'm fine! Just kinda tired."

Chara let out a strangled sob and reached out, pulling him close and burying her face in his shoulder. In response, Kid pressed himself as close to her as he was able given their slightly awkward positioning.

They stayed like that for a while, before Chara reluctantly pulled back, wiping tears from her face.

"You feeling better now?" Kid asked gently.

Chara shook her head.

"You almost died… and you're worried about me?"

"You're my girlfriend… it's kinda my job." He hesitated for a moment. "Um… what happened?"

Chara bit her lip, suddenly remembering killing all those men in front of him.

"What do you remember?"

Kid frowned in concentration while he shifted through the memories.

"Uhh.. I was with Papyrus and Asgore… and-" Before he could continue, he began coughing violently. Chara jerked in concern, quickly grabbing him and holding him close until he settled down.

Kid gave her a weak smile, seeming even more drained from his fit of coughing as Chara released him, adjusting the blankets over him and moving the pillow down so that it was supporting his head again.

"Sorry about that…"

"Don't be… just… just rest, okay?"

"I'm fine... " he insisted, though his voice was still weak and he seemed to be having to fight to keep his eyes open. Chara smiled tenderly at him.

"I know, but you should get some real sleep, okay? We can talk about things later, when you're feeling better. I'm just… I'm so glad you're back."

"Okay," Kid mumbled, his eyes sliding closed. "Love you…"

"I love you too," Chara whispered, attempting to wipe her eyes dry. She waited for a few moments, trying to get her breathing under control before closing her eyes and dialing Alphys's number. She would know for certain if Kid was going to be alright. But the hope that had been all but destroyed had rekindled within her soul. Maybe… maybe he would be okay after all.

 

Alphys put down her scanner and breathed out a relieved sigh, turning towards where Chara sat expectantly.

"He's going to be okay."

"You're sure?" Chara asked hesitantly.

Alphys nodded.

"His body is generating magic again," she explained. "He's going to be weak for a while, he lost a lot of energy but… he's going to be fine."

Chara sank back in her chair, closing her eyes as tears threatened to leak from them.

"He's going to be fine," she repeated, her voice quivering. Her body began to tremble, causing Alphys to look at her in concern.

"Chara? Are you... okay?"

She wasn't, not really. Now that Kid was safe, she was free to think over the past week, and she was able to see how close she had come to falling again. How she had treated Toriel… Asgore… She shuddered. Frisk…

"I'm okay," she said aloud, not trusting herself to open her eyes. "I'm just… so glad this is over."

"What's over?"

Chara opened her eyes and looked to the bed where Kid was looking over at them. As Chara rose, Alphys started backing away.

"Umm, I'll leave you two alone. C-call me if you need anything, okay?"

With that, she scurried out of the room. Chara knelt beside Kid and smiled tenderly at him, shoving aside her other thoughts and worries for the time being.

"Hey babe… how are you feeling?"

"Still kinda tired," Kid admitted. "And kinda hungry. And I'm still not sure how I got here… or uh… where I am."

"I called Napstablook earlier, he should be on his way with some food. I figured you'd want to see him."

"That'd be nice…" Kid murmured.

Chara hesitated for a moment, then said slowly;

"You're… in Alphys's basement. You've been unconscious for almost two weeks."

Kid's eyes widened.

"Yo… how? What happened?"

"Do you really not remember?"

The boy shook his head slowly.

"The last thing I remember was… getting lost in a buncha alleyways. And then I met a bunch of guys…" He hesitated for a moment. "That's all I really remember."

Chara let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. He didn't remember her attack. She moved to sit on the bed, placing a on Kid's shoulder and smiling when he nuzzled it gently.

"They attacked you, Kid." She said quietly. "I don't know why, but when I found you, you were… very badly hurt." Thinking about how close she had come to losing him again caused tears to form around her eyes, though she blinked them away before he could notice.

"I… made sure you were safe, then Sans brought you here, and Alphys saved you. Kid, I…" Her grasp on his shoulder tightened. "I was so scared that you were gonna die." The last words were spoken in a barely audible whisper.

Kid was silent for a moment, processing what Chara had told him. Then he nudged the hand on his shoulder, returning Chara's attention to it.

"You shoulda known better… takes more than that to bring down the mighty Kid!"

Despite his confident words, Chara could tell he was brushing it off for her sake, the slight waver in his tone gave him away. Still, her lips twitched at his bravado, and she twisted her body so she could lean in close to him.

"Guess so," she murmured, kissing him softly. "I should've known better than to underestimate my boyfriend."

"Oh… am I interrupting something?" Both Chara and Kid looked toward the source of the nervous voice, finding Napstablook hovering near the doorway, levitating a basket just in front of him.

"I can come back later if you want…" The ghost continued, turning slightly more transparent as he spoke.

"No, it's okay…" Kid murmured, looking over at him, a small smile twitching on his face. Napstablook went a little more transparent at that, before he faded back into view and hovered hesitantly towards the two. Chara pulled herself back, though her hand remained on Kid's shoulder.

Napstablook set the basket down on the bed, pulling a cloth cover off it to reveal several neatly organized sandwiches cut into triangles.

"I'm sorry, this was the best I could make on short notice… Oh no, maybe I should have made something nicer, I-"

"It's fine," Kid assured, eyeing the food hungrily. "I could eat just about anything right now."

"Not surprising, you haven't eaten anything for a while," Chara grinned. Kid tried to sit up so he could access the food, but Chara pushed him down gently.

"Oh no you don't, mister. You're already weak as it is. Here." She grabbed a sandwich triangle and brought it close to his mouth.

"Chara," Kid whined, stretching her name out, though it didn't stop him from taking a bite of the food, even as his scales colored. "I can feed myself…"

Chara ignored him, continuing to feed him while Napstablook hovered over to the other side of the bed and watched, a small smile forming on his his face, though it began to waver as Kid tore through the food he had brought.

"Oh no… I'm sorry, maybe I should have brought more, you seem like you're really hungry…."

Kid licked his lips and let his head fall down on the pillow again, while Chara put the now-empty basket to the side.

"No… you made just enough. Just like always."His voice sounded a little stronger, not much, but it was a relief for the onlookers to hear.

As Napstablook mumbled in embarrassment at the compliment, Chara suddenly felt a presence behind her. She turned slowly to see Sans standing in the shadows near the edge of the room, watching her. She blinked, and he was gone. Looking back to the other two, neither of them appeared to have noticed anything.

She swallowed, then stood slowly, and Kid turned his head back towards her, a confused look in his eyes.

"Chara?"

She gave him a smile.

"You guys should get some one-on-one time," She said. "Anyways, I've got a couple things I need to do. I promise, I'll be back soon, okay?"

"'Kay… just… don't take too long, alright?"

Chara reached out and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, then turned and made her way out of the room., leaving Napstablook and Kid behind. The two were silent for a while, before Napstablook spoke up hesitantly.

"Um… she seems like she's doing a lot better," he murmured. "She seemed really upset the last few times I saw her…"

Kid looked sadly after where his girlfriend had left.

"I gotta remember to tell her I'm sorry… I shouldn't have run ahead of everyone else like that."

"I think it'll be okay… she's probably just happy that you woke up." The ghost faded slightly before saying in a near whisper, "Um… I know I am…"

Kid turned his gaze back to the ghost, his eyes widening slightly as realization struck.

"Oh man… I guess I worried you too, huh? I'm really sorry…"

"It's alright," The ghost assured. "Like I said, I'm just happy you're awake now. Umm… do you need anything? You must still be pretty tired, your magic levels are really low right now…"

Kid stifled a yawn, but shook his head.

"Not right now, but… yo, we should probably talk about… things."

Napstablook looked at him in confusion for a moment before realization dawned.

"Oh… we don't have to do that now, if you don't want to. You just woke up, and-"

"It's fine," Kid assured before the ghost could go on. "Um, I didn't get as much time to think about it as I thought I would but… I think I already knew what I was gonna say, I just… didn't want to say it yet."

"Oh… okay…" Napstablook hovered inconspicuously closer, while Kid tried to sort out his thoughts.

"Um, so, you've been taking care of me for two years, right?"

Napstablook slowly nodded.

"Um…" Kid began fidgeting nervously. "What I'm trying to say is… I mean…" He took a deep breath. "I kinda want you to stay, if… if you want."

Napstablook blinked in surprise.

"...Really?"

Kid nodded hesitantly, not trusting himself to say anything.

"Oh… okay," Napstablook was quiet for a moment, then said softly; "I think I'd like that too."

"Then... " Kid bit his lip, his teeth pressing into the small scales lining his mouth. "Um… can I call you… Dad?"

Napstablook started.

"You… you really want that?"

"Yeah… um, it'd be nice to have someone actually answer when I say that and… well…" He trailed off, his gaze fixed on Napstablook as he waited for a response.

"If… if you really want to…" The ghost finally replied. "I'm okay with it..."

Relief flooded through Kid and he let himself his head sink into his pillow, his eyes beginning to close of their own accord.

"Thanks," He murmured. "That means you'll let me see you more often, right?"

"Okay," came the soft reply. Kid smiled.

"Thanks, Dad."

 

Chara stepped out of the elevator, blinking in surprise to see sunlight pouring through the windows. She'd been aware of the time passing, but… she supposed it had been awhile since she last saw daylight.

Those thoughts took to the background of her mind as she saw Sans standing across from her, watching her, with his hands still in his pockets. She swallowed.

"Sans-"

"So, what happens now?" The skeleton asked abruptly. At Chara's silence, he continued, taking a small step forward, keeping his gaze locked on her, and she found herself unable to look away.

"I know exactly what you were planning," he said quietly. "Kid's awake now… is that enough for you? Because I seem to recall telling someone I'd stop her before she became a murderer… again."

Chara trembled, remembering that snowy night, what seemed like an eternity ago. One particular phrase suddenly echoed in her mind. _If I thought there was any chance you were still like that, I would have already killed you, rather than risk you falling back into your old ways._

Somehow, she managed to find her voice again.

"Sans, I…" She trailed off, finding it difficult to concentrate under his piercing stare. She tried again.

"I don't… I'm not going to…"

"Is that true?" Sans took another step forward, and Chara found herself involuntarily stepping back. "I _trusted_ you, Chara. I trusted that you had changed. And you were ready to do it again. What would you do, in my place?"

They both knew the answer to that. And he was right. She took a moment to attempt to steel herself, then said quietly;

"I'm sorry…" She managed to tear her gaze away from Sans's and lowered her head, trying in vain to keep her body from shaking. "And I… accept your judgement."

She closed her eyes, expecting to feel his attacks at any moment, but none came. She heard Sans speak up, and his voice was now laced with weariness.

"I'm not gonna kill you, Chara. That's… not just my decision to make anymore." Chara looked up in confusion, still halfway braced for an attack.

"I just want to know one thing. You wanted to commit genocide again. Do you think you would have actually done it?"

Chara swallowed, thinking back to the last few days. Her rage, her grief… and her cold acceptance.

"Yes. Sans, you're right. I'm a danger to everyone. Maybe you should-"

"I said I wasn't gonna kill you. Don't get me wrong, I'm gonna be watching you pretty close from now on. You haven't fallen yet… that look on your face tells me you regret how close you came to the edge. For now, that's enough. But…" his sockets went dark.

"You've proven over the past few days that you're capable of becoming a murderer again. If you start to fall again, I won't hesitate. Understood?"

Chara managed a nod, not sure if she was relieved or terrified. Maybe a bit of both.

"Good." The lights returned to the skeleton's sockets. "Now that we've got that out of the way, you have a bunch of apologies to make. Your family's been worried sick over you, and you owe one to Alphys and Undyne too for how you treated them."

"Okay… Um, where are Alphhys and Undyne? I thought they would have-"

"They're at Napstablook's place… where they've been living for the past couple days."

"What? Why?"

"Why do you think?"

"O-oh. I guess I should-"

"I'll let them know their home is safe again," Sans interrupted. "You need to reassure your family first. You gave everyone… quite a scare."

 

Chara walked down the street in the direction of her home, her hands deep in her pockets. She was moving quickly, wanting to get this over with and get back to Kid, though she'd be surprised if he was still awake.

"Chara!" a familiar voice called, causing her to look up from the pavement passing beneath her, to see Frisk walking quickly towards her, waving as he did so. Her magic began pulsing within her in the equivalent of her heart rate increasing. Frisk...

The boy stopped a few paces away, and Chara also came to a halt. Frisk was smiling at her, but she quickly noted his tensed body. A pang of guilt shot through her, realizing he was already prepared to dodge… in case she attacked him again.

"Finally! I was beginning to wonder if you were ever coming out of that basement! Looks like Papyrus was right again, huh?"

"Yeah, looks like. Frisk, I'm-"

"Don't worry about it." her brother waved a hand nonchalantly. "It was my fault really, you did tell me to go away, after all. And besides, it's not like it's the first time someone close to me has tried to kill me."

"That's not exactly a good thing." Chara had taken on a wry tone, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Frisk just shrugged.

"Eh, you gotta get through the hard times to get to the good ones right? And we've had more than a few of the hard times… and boy has it paid off!"

"That's… surprisingly philosophical coming from you."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm an idiot. I've never heard that one before."

Despite herself, Chara chuckled, and it was only then that Frisk relaxed, smiling broadly at her.

"Really though… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have attacked you, even if you were being a pain."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it… death's kind of an unpleasant experience, and I've already had more than enough to last me a lifetime, ironically enough."

"You're insufferable, you know that?"

Frisk just gave a cheeky grin.

"Yeah, I know. C'mon, Mom and Dad are waiting for you at home, you probably want to talk to them both."

"Uh," Chara asked, a terrifying thought suddenly entering her mind as they both began to walk again. "Do they… know about…"

"You trying to kill me?" Frisk asked in a teasing voice. Then he shook his head. "Nah, I figured they don't need to know about that. As long as it doesn't happen again, we're cool."

"Thanks."

"Hey, what are brothers for?"

 

From where she sat in the living room, Toriel could hear Chara and Asgore speaking quietly in the kitchen, her daughter's voice apologetic and her husband's reassuring. She smiled and settled further into her reading chair, closing her eyes as she did so. She finally allowed a wave of relief to wash over her. It had been close but... it seemed her daughter had made it out of her ordeal with her sanity intact.

She would speak to her about the Resets later, as well as how close she had come to falling again. But for now, they all deserved a break from such things. Once everything had settled, she would broach the subject. This was not an experience she ever wanted to repeat again.

Toriel had not relaxed properly since finding Chara kneeling over Kid's unconscious form nearly two weeks ago now. Now that she had the chance, she began to notice something that she hadn't before.

There was a feeling. A magical signature that she had never felt before, yet seemed very familiar. She concentrated for a moment, trying to get a clearer glimpse of the energy. It was far away... No, that wasn't it. It was close. Very close, but also very weak, which had given the impression of distance at first glance. She leaned forward, and felt the magic shift slightly. Odd, it was almost as if…

As if…

She let out a small gasp as she realized. Her eyes opened, and she stared down into her lap where her hands clasped together tightly. Tears began to form in her eyes, but unlike those that had been shed over the past week, they were tears of joy.

She was pregnant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter of Armless Embrace. But I'm not done yet with Undertale, or Entwined File. I'm gonna take a short break from uploading, but I'll be back on Monday with the next story. It's still gonna be a part of Entwined File, but it's going to be a little... interesting in terms of chronological order. I'll explain more in the notes at the beginning. The story will be called Corrupted File.exe.


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